This opinion was written by K. Denise Rucker Krepp, ANC 6B10.
Crime has significantly increased in my single member district (SMD) in the past couple of months. Many of these crimes are being committed by juveniles and I’ve requested information from Attorney General Karl A. Racine on how these cases are resolved. I want to know what the consequences are for juveniles who commit robbery, assault, and murder.
Like many of you, I receive daily updates from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on criminal activity. There was little crime in my single member district in January and February of this year.
As the year progressed, however, it began to increase. This prompted me to create a spreadsheet to track crime in ANC6B10 and at the nearby Stadium-Armory metro station. We went from crime every couple of days in my single member district in Hill East to a crime or two a day. In addition, I started receiving alerts from MPD regarding groups of multiple juveniles
committing violent and gun related crimes, not just in my Police Service Area but across the First District. Troubled, I requested information from MPD
MPD confirmed that juvenile crime is increasing in my single member district as well as citywide. On the morning of October 11, 2019, MPD provided the following robbery arrest statistics and I immediately requested information from Attorney General Racine on how these and other arrests are resolved.
Less than four hours later, a 15-year old girl stabbed a 15-year old boy to death at the Capitol South metro station, within First District and Capitol Police jurisdiction.
I asked WMATA to share data of the number of juvenile crimes occuring in the metro system. WMATA currently tracks criminal activity by location and this information is available on its website, but it isn’t divided by the age of the offender. I’ve also asked MPD, WMATA and the Attorney General’s office to share citywide incident and arrest information because it’s my understanding that juveniles are committing multiple robberies, thefts, and assaults on the streets and in the metro system. When apprehended, they are being released and therefore they are re-offending
Attorney General Racine is the only one in the city who knows what happens to juveniles who are arrested. His office maintains the database that shows how many juveniles go to jail or participate in alternative programs. I’m asking him to share this data because juveniles are committing violent offenses in Washington DC. They are robbing, stealing, and some cases, killing other juveniles. These crimes are endangering the lives of others and residents have a right to know how juvenile crime is being addressed.