CLEVELAND, Ohio — The case of a 9-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl accused of brutally assaulting and raping an autistic girl highlights how rare it is for an elementary school child to be charged with a crime.

FBI statistics show that 7,100 children under the age of 10 were arrested in the last five years and accused of a crime. Authorities charged 154,906 youths who were between the ages of 10 and 12.

The numbers, though small, appear to be on the rise.

In 2020, police picked up 922 children under age 10 and 14,926 between the ages of 10 and 12. Last year, 1,458 younger children were arrested while 33,668 youths in the older group were also brought to court.

Authorities have said the numbers show gaps in Ohio’s juvenile justice system — gaps that emerge when a system built for t

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