The Role of Race and Ethnicity in Juvenile Justice Processing

Anticipatory injustice among adolescents: age and racial/ethnic differences in perceived unfairness of the justice system

“…Numerous studies document disproportionate negative treatment towards minority groups in the juvenile and criminal justice systems (Cole, 1999;Hawkins & Kempf-Leonard, 2005;Tyler & Huo, 2002). Although there is debate as to whether this is due to discrimination or base level differences in offending between racial groups (see, e.g., Redding & Arrigo, 2005;Lauritsen, 2005), recent analyses suggest that differential processing cannot be explained by base level differences alone (Bishop, 2005). Experiences of discrimination throughout the justice process have the potential to negatively impact perceptions and expectations of fair (or unfair) treatment.…”

Predicting Secure Detention Placement for African-American Juvenile Offenders: Addressing the Disproportionate Minority Confinement Problem

“…In particular, an African American youth is six times more likely to be incarcerated (jails and detention facilities) compared to White youth (and held on average 61 days longer; Mauer & King, 2007;National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2007). The experience of detention makes it more likely they will continue to engage in delinquent behavior and may increase the odds that they recidivate (Holman & Ziedenberg, 2006;Torres & Ooyen, 2002), an outcome that perpetuates the disparity problem (Bishop, 2005). Also concerning is the underrepresentation of minority youth in cases that are diverted from the juvenile courts and those cases that come under probation supervision (National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2007;.…”

Décisions policières sous la Loi sur le système de justice pénale pour les adolescents. L’influence du sexe et de l’apparence ethnique1

“…La première hypothèse qui vient à l'esprit est qu'ils font l'objet de discrimination de la part des policiers. Cette hypothèse est soutenue par un nombre croissant d'études empiriques (ex : Bishop, 2005 ;Brown, 1981 ;Wortley et Tanner, 2005) mais ne permet pas d'identifi er la nature du problème. Il est vrai que le traitement différen-cié que subissent les garçons non blancs pourrait être le fruit de la diffusion d'un préjugé qui refl ète un processus de racialisation présent dans la société canadienne de même qu'au sein de ses institutions sociales (un phénomène que Merton [1965] a nommé « théorème de Thomas 7 »).…”