Blind Justice? The Impact of Race on the Juvenile Justice Process

1987 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Fagan ◽  
Ellen Slaughter ◽  
Eliot Hartstone
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Minority Youth ◽  
Family Status ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Justice Process ◽  
Extralegal Factors ◽  
The Impact

The increasing prevalence of minority youth in the juvenile justice system has renewed concerns over racial disparities in juvenile justice processing. Previous research has yielded ambiguous results, with findings complicated by methodological shortcomings, divergent research strategies, and design artifacts. To resolve questions on the extent and source of racial disparities in juvenile justice processing, research is needed on the nature, location, and magnitude of discrimination in the juvenile justice system. This study examines racial disparities in decision making at six points in the juvenile justice process, from apprehension through judicial commitment decisions. Samples of Anglo and minority youth were drawn at each point, controlling for offense severity, other offense characteristics, and extralegal factors in addition to race. The results show racial disparities at each point, with minorities consistently receiving harsher dispositions. Disparities took different forms at various stages of the process, usually for nonserious offenses. Race was a direct, indirect, and interactive influence at various decision points. Disparities were observed at other times only when controlling for other extralegal factors such as family status. The results suggest that the juvenile justice system reflects social and economic disparities endemic in other social domains. The correlates of delinquency in minority and predominantly Anglo populations are similar. Accordingly, base rate differences may be less important than societal reaction in explaining the overrepresentation of minorities in the juvenile justice process. The narrowing of social gaps may also reduce disparate perceptions of minorities in the juvenile justice system, and restore their population balance in delinquent populations.

The Causes and Pervasiveness of DMC: Stakeholder Perceptions of Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Juvenile Justice System

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cherie Dawson-Edwards ◽  
Richard Tewksbury ◽  
Nadia T. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Community Organizations ◽  
Minority Youth ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Stakeholder Perceptions ◽  
Disproportionate Minority Contact ◽  
Statewide Assessment

This study explores perceptions and awareness of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) by stakeholders in juvenile justice, youth-serving community organizations, schools, social services, and the faith community. This study is derived from a statewide assessment, which included in-person interviews with individuals that have personal and professional relationships within the juvenile justice system. Findings support the contention that individuals are either unaware of the prevalence of DMC, have already formed prejudices about minority youth within the system, or do not appreciate the degree of importance DMC has on the development of minority youth.

The Impact of Victimization, Mental Health Problems, and Disabilities on Juvenile Justice Processing: Does Gender Matter?

2020 ◽  
pp. 001112872095002
Author(s):  
Allison T. Chappell ◽  
Scott R. Maggard
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Delinquent Behavior ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
The Impact

Victimization, mental health problems, and disabilities are associated with an increased likelihood of delinquent behavior, and girls in the juvenile justice system report higher rates of past trauma and victimization, sexual abuse, and mental health issues than boys. However, the influence of these problems on juvenile justice processing remains understudied. This study investigated the impact of victimization, mental health problems, disabilities, and comorbidity on intake and adjudication decisions across gender. Data on 74,636 intake cases were obtained from the centralized database of the juvenile justice office in a mid-Atlantic state (FY 2011–2015). Findings suggest that mental health problems, victimization, and disabilities are associated with increased punitiveness at intake but few consistent gender differences emerged. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Longitudinal Patterns of Secure Institutional Placement Among Serious Adolescent Offenders

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 762-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
JoAnn S. Lee ◽  
Faye S. Taxman ◽  
Edward P. Mulvey ◽  
Carol A. Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Adolescent Offenders ◽  
Longitudinal Patterns ◽  
Trajectory Modeling ◽  
Institutional Placement ◽  
Extralegal Factors ◽  
Calendar Data ◽  
Pathways To Desistance

This study identifies longitudinal patterns of institutional placement to understand experiences in the juvenile justice system. We used monthly calendar data from the Pathways to Desistance study ( N = 1,354), which focuses on understanding how serious adolescent offenders desist from antisocial activity. Youth between 14 and 18 years of age were followed for 7 years. We used group-based trajectory modeling to identify longitudinal patterns of institutional placement. We also examined bivariate and multivariate associations between our identified groups and demographic, legal, and extralegal factors. We chose the 4-group solution, which reflected a pattern of steady time in the community (33.3%), and three patterns of youth spending varying (22.5%), declining (24.4%), and steady high (18.8%) time in placement. Significant differences between groups suggest that youth from the most disadvantaged contexts and those who were most likely to have trouble in school and live in disorganized neighborhoods spent the most time in placement.

The Discontinuity of Offending Among African American Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 610-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail B. Williams ◽  
Joseph P. Ryan ◽  
Pamela E. Davis-Kean ◽  
Vonnie C. McLoyd ◽  
John E. Schulenberg
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Impulse Control ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
African American Youth ◽  
Parental Supervision ◽  
The Impact

Little is known about what factors contribute to African American youth desisting from offending. Participants were 3,230 moderate- to high-risk adolescents from Washington State who completed a statewide risk assessment to assess the likelihood of recidivism. Participants were screened by juvenile probation officers between 2003 and 2010. Researchers investigated whether youth possessed protective factors and whether developmental change took place after contact with the juvenile justice system. It was hypothesized that having protective factors would decrease the likelihood of recidivism and the impact of each factor would differ by gender. Findings indicate African American youth have protective factors across a range of domains. However, little developmental change occurs after contact with the juvenile justice system. Impulse control, parental supervision, and pro-social peers were important for reducing recidivism. Problem solving was more influential for African American males, while impulse control and parental supervision were more influential for African American females. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.

Racial Disparities in the Juvenile Justice System

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrika McCoy ◽  
Emalee Pearson
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Youth Of Color ◽  
Impact Reduction ◽  
Decision Points ◽  
Prevention Act ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
And Gender

Racial disparities in the juvenile justice system, more commonly known as disproportionate minority contact (DMC), are the overrepresentation, disparity, and disproportionate numbers of youth of color entering and moving deeper into the juvenile justice system. There has been some legislative attention to the issue since the implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA) and most recently with attempts in 2017 to reauthorize the Act. Originally focused solely on confinement, it became clear by 1988 there was disproportionality at all decision points in the juvenile justice system, and the focus changed to contact. DMC most commonly is known to impact Black and Hispanic youth, but a closer look reveals how other youth of color are also impacted. Numerous factors have been previously identified that create DMC, but increasingly factors such as zero-tolerance in schools and proactive policing in communities are continuing to negatively impact reduction efforts. Emerging issues indicate the need to consider society’s demographic changes, the criminalization of spaces often occupied by youth of color, and gender differences when creating and implementing strategies to reduce DMC.

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