NCJ Number
170264
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1997) Pages: 445-478
Date Published
1997
Length
34 pages
Annotation
Nebraska Crime Commission data for 1988-93 were studied to compare the processing of black and white juvenile delinquency suspects.
Abstract
The data came from county courts for 90 rural counties and 3 separate juvenile courts in urban counties. The databases ranged in size from 5,095 to 6,755 cases per year. The analysis focused on decisions made at three stages of processing: detention, adjudication, and disposition. Independent variables included race, sex, age, offense seriousness, prior offenses this year, prior offenses in previous years, court type, and county characteristics. Results revealed that, all else being equal, black youths were more likely to receive harsher handling than white youths in regard to prehearing detention and the final penalty. In contrast, the relationship between race and harshness of outcomes was reversed with respect to judging an accused youth to be delinquent or a juvenile status offenders. White youths were more likely than black youths to be judged delinquent. Although the results did not clearly demonstrate racial bias, the racial differences in detention and disposition decisions could plausibly be perceived as bias by African Americans in general and African American youths in particular. Tables, footnotes, 2 case citations, and 67 references (Author abstract modified)