Study: Nearly one in three people will be arrested by the time they are 23

The above is a Chicago Sun-Times reprint of a USA Today report of the results of a study from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. It is staggering to learn to over 30 percent of all US teenagers will be arrested by age 23 for some offense, whether is due to drugs, vandalism, or any petty offense. The high statistic is attributed to be partly the result of several decades of tough crime policies and partly due to the growing community intolerance for anti-social or destructive behavior among youth. At a time when young adults already face higher debts and a much more restrictive job market, the additional stigma of an arrest record may unfairly dog them for the rest of their lives because of some minor infraction.