The Plan

These top 10 reasons Why Kids Commit Crime will be presented in separate videos to air on television stations and all social media outlets.

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Poverty

Economic disadvantage and lack of resources can lead to increased juvenile crime.

Lack of Faith / Hope

Lack of faith refers to a state of disbelief, or a lack of trust, confidence, or belief in something, a person, a concept, or a higher power. Without faith or hope, nothing seems possible.

Bullying / Cyber Bullying

About 20% of students aged 12-18 have experienced bullying. Approximately 15% of high school students reported experiencing cyberbullying.

Sex Abuse / Human Trafficking

Every 6 minutes, a child under 18 is sexually abused in the United States. 1 in 7 children reported missing became victims of sexual trafficking.

Mental Illness

Roughly 20% of youth ages 3–17 experience a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavior disorder.

Lack of Parenting / Generational Crime

Approximately 6.8 million grandparents are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren. 1 in 14 children under age 18 have had at least one parent incarcerated at some point in their lives.

Drugs & Alcohol

In 2023, approximately 3.8 million youth aged 12-17 reported using illicit drugs, including marijuana, opioids, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Fentanyl has marked a 47% rise. Alcohol is the most abused drug.

Gangs & Guns

Reports show that approximately 1 million juveniles aged 5–17 are involved in gangs in the United States. In 2024, approximately 5,151 children under 18 were shot with a gun, with 1,403 fatalities.

Education / Peer Pressure

The most common reasons youth drop out of school are academic difficulties, lack of family support, personal issues, or substance abuse. Approximately 85% - 90% of youth under age 18 experience peer pressure, which influences decision-making.

Domestic Violence / Early Childhood Trauma

A child who experiences abuse or neglect is 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile. Violence and abuse hurt children’s self-esteem. More than 90% of delinquent youth have been exposed to trauma.

* Data based on United States stats: OJJDP, Commission for Missing & Exploited Children, Google Search, National Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, ChatGPT, Wikipedia, U.S. National Survey on Drug Use & Health