There’s been a statistic rapidly growing among the King County area – juvenile crime has skyrocketed in recent years, concerning citizens, businesses, and law enforcement. While Seattle ranks #21 for most dangerous cities, according to US News, a disturbing percentage of crime is committed by juveniles. 

“Renton data shows police were called to reports of juveniles committing crimes with guns almost three times more often in 2023 than the year before,” K5 reported in their “Underage and Under Arrest series. They found that the most common instances were armed robberies of gas stations and convenience stores. 

In 2024, King County reportedly admitted 799 juveniles into detention centers through the year. That is more than two children a day being arrested for dangerous crimes. What was once a non-issue is now seriously raising concerns amongst leaders and community members. 

“Our staff reached a point where we were scared of the kids in case they had weapons,” said an anonymous Southcenter retail employee. “They’d come to the mall, nearly a dozen of them, and steal products, threaten workers, and start fights. Last year there was a brawl of at least two dozen kids in the food court.”

So what has led us to this point? K5’s reporting spoke to six experts across the community for answers. 

Tacoma Parks Community Center Supervisor Antonio McLemore cited lingering effects of the pandemic is to blame. “We are seeing young people who didn’t have opportunities to engage with a caring adult. We’re seeing young people that didn’t have healthy meals,” McLemore said. 

Prosecutors throughout western Washington blamed the increased accessibility to guns. The Pandemic saw a rush to gun shops across America, boosting sales and the presence of firearms in homes. 

“When young people were faced with adversity, they went back to the skills they learned in their trauma-informed spaces. This is what we’re seeing in our communities. Young people that weren’t equipped for the world we’re now in,” said McLemore.

Many contributing factors seem to be driving juvenile crime, one of which is the cost of living in Seattle. The area’s high cost of living, among the highest in the country, creates situations where both parents must work a majority of the time, leaving their children with no other alternatives.

“It can’t just be the city’s job. It can’t just be the teacher’s job. It can’t just be the family’s job. We really need each other. We really need each other. And that’s what I have hope for,” McLemore said.

King County has launched a few programs to support kids and parents. The At-Risk Youth Program helps kids with education reengagement, behavioral health interventions, and community support. This program’s vision is dedicated  to help the families and kids by finding  the help on mental health substance use, housing, paid training, and job opportunities.