When it comes to youth violence, Juvenile Court Judge Suzanne Bailey says the trends are frightening. She says offenders who end up in her courtroom are younger and more violent.
Judge Bailey, "It's not unusual to have 8 or 9 year olds charged with aggravated arson or 12 and 13 year olds who've committed robbery or assault."
Court records show juveniles committed almost 4,000 crimes in 2007. Last year youngsters committed 2 murders, 6 attempted murders, and 452 assaults. Judge Bailey says many people are surprised to learn more girls are behind bars for committing violent crimes.
Judge Bailiey, "We only have six beds in our pre trial detention center for girls, ten years ago we might have had a couple of girls back there, we run pretty much full all of the time now."
These Florida teens videotaped themselves beating up a girl they say insulted them on the website MySpace.
Judge Bailey, "They do seem to get into more of these group fights, generally when the girls come in here it's over a boy."
Mark Rogers leads the organization Fight Crime Invest In Kids. He says bullying has gone high tech.
Rogers, "You now have a much more sophisticated level of bullying where things are said about kids that then are repeated online, fake website to embarrass kids."
Judge Bailey says even the best kids can make bad choices.
Bailey, "I've had parent just sitting there whaling throughout the whole proceedings because they knew after the fact they had put too much confidence in their child's ability to make mature decisions."
Judge Bailey says parents need to be aware of changing times and the temptations that face their children.