Excellent article that outlines how much the reality of "problem teenagers" differs from popular perception:

In 1999 the number of homicides committed by teens was down 62 percent from what it had been in 1990. Over the same period, rapes in which adolescents were charged declined 27 percent, teen-perpetrated violent crime generally was down 22 percent, the incidence of sexually transmitted disease decreased 50 percent, births were down 17 percent, abortions were down 15 percent, and drunken driving offenses plummeted 35 percent.

The only statistics on the way up over the same time period? Smoking and drug-related deaths, the two areas most heavily campaigned against by government. On the same topic, see The Culture War Against Kids by Mike Males, who has entire book online on the subject, Kids and Guns: How Politicians, Experts, and the Press Fabricate Fear of Youth.