Locking up youth in adult jails is not an effective method for increasing public safety in District neighborhoods, as youth are responsible for only a small percentage of the crimes committed in D.C. So far in 2008, youth make up 7.2 percent of all D.C. arrests, and 22 percent of all arrests for violent crimes. Youth arrests for violent offenses are down 18.9 percent since the same time last year (January – August).