When Does Race Matter in Juvenile Court Outcomes? A Test of the “Type of Offense” Hypothesis

Abstract

AbstractThe current study examined the influence of race on juvenile court outcomes across various offense types. This study builds on previous research in the field by utilizing the symbolic threat perspective as a foundation for understanding differences in juvenile disposition. It is hypothesized that the influence of race varies across offense types (misdemeanors and felonies) for the pre‐detention and disposition outcomes. Data from a sample of juvenile court referrals from two Midwestern juvenile courts were utilized and partitioned by race. Results were mixed and not always in the hypothesized direction. However, the results indicated that race did have an influence on both pre and post adjudication juvenile court outcomes, an effect which varied by type of offense and race. This study illustrates the importance of examining juvenile court outcomes from a multi‐stage approach that includes legal and extra‐legal factors.