Juvenile Court Outcomes Across Race/Ethnicity

Abstract

Prior research in juvenile court research examines how decision-making at final disposition is impacted by legal and extralegal factors. Despite past work, less research investigates how extralegal factors influence the likelihood of receiving a more rehabilitative disposition versus a more punitive outcome. Using all adjudicated juvenile complaint data from one eastern state in 2018, this study examines the impact of extralegal factors, with an emphasis on race/ethnicity, on the type of disposition juveniles receive. Results suggest disparities in punitive versus rehabilitation-driven outcomes. Implications for policy and practice within the juvenile justice system will be discussed.