The connection between economic development and juvenile crime rates has always been a topic of interest for economists. The author attempts to dissect this issue from both theoretical analysis and empirical data perspectives. In terms of theoretical research, through dialectical analysis of the relationship between economic development and crime rates, the paper reveals the positive and negative impact mechanisms of economic development on juvenile crime rates. Moreover, considering the characteristics of the juvenile group, we also conduct optimization research on economic measures to prevent juvenile delinquency. In the empirical research section, combining data from the annual bulletins and statistical yearbooks of the Supreme People's Court, the relationship between economic development and juvenile crime rates is tested. It is found that from 2002 to 2015, the juvenile crime rate in China increased with the increase in per capita GDP. However, after considering the issue of wealth disparity, the above conclusion is completely reversed. The study indicates that under the condition of unchanged wealth disparity, economic growth has an inhibitory effect on juvenile crime.

A study on the mechanism of the relationship between economic development and juvenile crime rates