Exploring State-Level Variation in Juvenile Incarceration Rates

Abstract

Despite large-scale increases in juvenile incarceration rates nationally, relatively little attention has been given to explaining why some states invest more heavily than others in the long-term confinement of young offenders. This article explores four potential explanations. First, investment in juvenile incarceration may be greater where symbolic threats to social order are higher. Second, it may be greater in states where crime, especially juvenile violent crime, is more prevalent. Third, juvenile incarceration practices may simply reflect those deemed suitable for adult offenders; thus, states with higher adult incarceration rates may incarcerate more juveniles. Finally, cultural acceptance of punitive policies, as in the South, may contribute to higher rates of juvenile incarceration. Using state-level data, the article focuses primarily on the first explanation and the extent to which the alternatives can account for any observed symbolic threat effect. The study’s implications for policy and research are discussed.