Maricopa County attorney says teen violence, ‘eagerness’ to use weapons is increasing

PHOENIX — Teen violence is up nationwide, including here in the Valley, according to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.

She held a teen violence forum in Chandler on Wednesday night to address the rise in juvenile crime and its impact on schools, communities and families.

“What’s most concerning about theses crimes is the growing aggression and the readiness, almost the eagerness, to use weapons,” Mitchell said.

Arizona law is not where it needs to be when it comes to addressing juvenile crime, she added.

“Even with serious crimes the way the law is written often leads to lighter consequences than the public might expect,” Mitchell said.

She urged state legislators to permit harsher penalties for minors who commit violent crimes, arguing that while the juvenile detention system emphasizes rehabilitation, its goal is to change behavior before it carries over into adulthood.

Maricopa County attorney highlights teen violence statistics

The event featured a slideshow highlighting teen violence statistics, showing a steady rise in incidents each year following a dip in 2020 due to the pandemic.

While overall numbers haven’t yet returned to pre-pandemic highs, a second chart revealed a more troubling trend: statewide juvenile referrals for violent offenses and weapons-related incidents have been climbing since 2017.

“Juvenile crimes are becoming more violent, and they increasingly involve weapons,” Mitchell said.

She said minors often attempt to buy firearms illegally on the black market, only to end up getting robbed themselves.

Mitchell added that teens are breaking into cars in search of guns and warned against storing firearms in vehicles.

Chandler police chief talks about youth violence prevention

In addition to sharing teen violence statistics, Mitchell also invited school safety experts and law enforcement officials to speak.

One of them was Al Moore, the director of school safety and security for Mesa Public Schools. He said campuses in this district have one point of entry on campus, perimeter fencing and surveillance cameras.

Moore said the vape sensors in bathrooms also pick up loud yelling. Additionally, based on feedback from district principals, students have stopped hanging out in the bathrooms.

Another speaker at the youth violence forum was Chandler Police Chief Bryan Chapman, who highlighted the importance of trying to prevent youth violence as early as sixth grade.

“For that age group, we’re really being intentional in a four-week program where we’re talking about bullying, we’re talking about cyberstalking, we’re talking about mental health, success strategies, leadership, and, more importantly, we’re talking about peer accountability,” Chapman said.

He said it’s important to remember that youth violence is not inevitable.

“There’s no one single entity that’s going to solve this issue for our community,” Chapman said. “This takes police and prosecution, this takes schools, this takes nonprofits, and this takes accountability.”

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