IS THE QUALITY OF YOUTH VIOLENCE BECOMING MORE SERIOUS

This paper examines the assertion that the ''quality'' of youth violen ce is getting worse in that violent acts are becoming ''more'' violent . No evidence is found to support such an assertion, Across Canada, in the five years ending in 1995-6, the increase in the rate of violent cases in youth court is due to an increase in the number of the most m inor assaults. There is no increase in the rate at which the more seri ous assaults are being brought to court. For girls the data are essent ially the same; large increases in minor assaults and no increase in t he most serious assaults. In general, as one would expect, girls are l ess, involved than boys in all levels of assault, particularly the mor e serious forms.