|
Abstract
|
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study by Wordes et al. was to explore the issue of racial disparity and detention decisions for youth.
METHODOLOGY:
The authors employed a quasi-experimental design in order to test the independent effect of race on three levels of detention. Three different detention levels served as the dependant variables: (1) The police decision to securely detain, (2) the court decision to detain at intake, and (3) the court decision to detain at the preliminary hearing stage of adjudication. The independent variables were demographic characteristics (age, gender, race), prior record, offense characteristics (measured as number of charges on petition, amount of victim injury, weapons involved, number of co-offenders), and social characteristics (measured as number of parents in household, socioeconomic status, nature of family, school, and personal problems). Data were collected from five counties across one unnamed state according to three criteria: the jurisdiction had to have a detention facility, be represented by one or more racial minority groups, and have a certain size and geographic diversity. Data were collected from juvenile court and police departments of each county. A random sample of the population of juveniles was obtained; 1,497 felony cases came from juvenile courts and 728 felony cases came from police records. Zero-order, descriptive statistics, and logistic regression were used to test the effect of race on the different detention decisions.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
Twenty-five percent of all juveniles charged with felonies in the six jurisdictions were put in secure confinement by police; 86% were male and 67% were African-American. The mean age was 15 and, on average, had one prior offense. Eight percent of the cases were felony drug charges. The zero-order correlations revealed that race, age, prior offense, co-offenders, weapon, and drug charge were significantly correlated with the police decision to detain. The multivariate analysis showed that being African American or a member of another minority group, as well as having prior offenses, being in possession of a weapon, and being charged with a drug offense were significantly associated with the dependant variable, even when the control variables were introduced into the model. Importantly, race continued to have an independent and significant effect on police decision to detain. Youth detained at a preliminary hearing were less likely to have two parents living at home, and more likely to have a lower socioeconomic status and have family, school, and personal problems. All the independent variables were significantly associated with detention at intake. The logistic regression analysis on the decision to detain at preliminary hearing produced results similar to those at intake. Controlling for age, gender and legal variables, African American and Latino youth were significant predictors of the dependant variables. In the final model, the social characteristics were introduced as control variables. There, race continued to exert an independently significant relationship with the dependant variables. The authors also noted that youth who had personal problems, or were from families of lower socioeconomic status were more likely to be detained.
Race remained a significant predictor of the dependant variables in all models, even when legal, demographic, and social characteristics were controlled. The authors noted that because important variables were controlled for, additional explanations must be examined. The authors stated that one explanation may be found in the cumulative process of detention decisions. Also, the authors claimed that because being African American was associated with the level of the charge, African Americans and Latino youth may be perceived by criminal justice agents as more serious or dangerous offenders. Therefore, according to the authors, justice agents may be basing decisions to detain on stereotypes rather than the unique situation of each case. Finally, the authors suggested that demeanor based on cultural differences may influence perceptions of decision makers in negative ways.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
Racial Factors
Racial Differences
Racial Comparison
Minority Overrepresentation
Minority Youth
Comparative Analysis
Juvenile Correctional Institution
Socioeconomic Factors
Sociocultural Factors
African American Offender
African American Inmate
African American Crime
African American Juvenile
Hispanic Crime
Hispanic Inmate
Hispanic Juvenile
Hispanic Offender
Offender Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Offender Arrest
Arrest Rates
Law Enforcement
Police
Correctional Decision Making
Juvenile Justice System
Juvenile Court
Juvenile Offender
Juvenile Crime
Juvenile Inmate
Incarcerated
05-05 |