Nationally, carjackings and other violent crimes increased in 2020 and 2021. But unlike with other violent crimes, such as homicides and aggravated assaults, we haven’t turned the corner with carjackings in 2022 and 2023. Several major cities are in the midst of a carjacking crisis. The Washington, D.C.-Baltimore region is on track to have more than 2,000 carjackings in 2023. Nearly 4 in 5 of these violent crimes have involved a firearm, and victims have included an off-duty federal security officer, a U.S. congressman, and an FBI agent.

Many carjacking suspects are young — some as young as 12-15 — and some suspects are assaulting the victims even when victims comply with suspects’ demands. With juveniles committing many of these violent crimes, often without consequences, we’re seeing innocent people and the carjackers themselves injured and killed. For example, in October a 13-year-old was shot and killed in D.C. by an off-duty federal security officer when the boy and another juvenile attempted to carjack the officer. The boy had nine prior carjacking and robbery charges over a five-week period.

PERF is hosting a “Summit on Carjackings” to bring attention to the issue and to discuss and document what can be done.

Where

When

What we’ll discuss

• What do we know about the locations, times, and circumstances of carjackings that would help prevent them?
• How do these crimes affect the delivery industry, such as Amazon and FedEx?
• What can be done to address cases involving repeat juvenile offenders?
• What can prosecutors, judges and juvenile justice experts bring to this discussion?
• Are any agencies developing strategies that are working?

Who should attend

• Law enforcement officials actively working on this issue
• Other stakeholders connected to addressing this issue

While the meeting will pay special attention to the issues and experiences of the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore region, it will discuss national trends and experiences as well. PERF members from outside the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore region are encouraged to attend, though we may limit attendance to no more than two individuals from each agency. Otherwise, registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis until we reach the meeting capacity and begin the waitlist.

Click here to register for the meeting

If you have any questions regarding the January 25th event, please contact PERF Research Assistant Rachael Thompson at [email protected].