Assessing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Processing

This research paper assesses the existence of disparities regarding racial and ethnical discrimination in police handling procedures of arresting victims. The purpose of the research is to analyze the extent to which disparity exists. The study focuses on Disproportionate Minority Contact, Juvenile Justice, Race, Ethnicity, and Gender.

Research methods and study skills

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
Background............................................................................................................................3
Purpose of Research...............................................................................................................3
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................3
Disproportionate Minority Contact........................................................................................3
Juvenile Justice.......................................................................................................................4
Race........................................................................................................................................4
Ethnicity.................................................................................................................................4
Gender....................................................................................................................................4
RESEACRCH METHODOLOGY............................................................................................5
Data Analysis.........................................................................................................................5
Sample Collection..................................................................................................................5
FINDINGS.................................................................................................................................6
CRITICAL EVALUATION OF RESEARCH..........................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
Reflective Summary...................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Background
As per study of Andersen (2015), overrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority and
disproportionate minority contract has been believed as a long standing issue in juvenile
justice processing. The same can be accessed from the data available at National Incident-
Based Reporting System, according to which fourteen percent of U.S. youth represent black
people in year 2013. Moreover, it is stated by Strom and Smith(2017), thirty six percent of
delinquency system cases are related to these people. Present research paper emphasizes on
assessing the fact whether any racial or ethical disparities exists in the policies applied by
juvenile while arresting. The main reason behind choosing the specified topic is the sensitive
and ethical variant attached with the topic. Every individual is having right to get an
opportunity to prove his innocence in case he is blamed to be guilty for some act(Ericson and
Eckberg, 2016). The right should be available despite of race or religion. Thus, the curiosity
to know the extent to which right is available in procedure applied by juvenile procedures.
Further, in order to make relating authorities aware of the facts of their behaviour so that they
can improve the same.
Purpose of Research
The purpose of the research is to assess the existence of disparities regarding racial and
ethnical discrimination in police handling procedures of arresting victims. Further, a sincere
attempt has been made to analyze the extent to which disparity exists.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Disproportionate Minority Contact
The phrase Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) can be defined as the rates of contact
with juvenile system among juveniles of a particularly minority class which are extensively
diverse from that of rates of contact for white-non-Hispanic juveniles (Campbell, et.al2018).
Further, existence of DMC is well recognised in the juvenile system. At the same time,
methods relating to same are not clearly recognised. With accordance to Feinstein (2015),
there are two academic frameworks which are direct suppositions and proposition related to
DMC. With accordance to disparity involvement theory, DMC is endorsed to minority
youth’s evolvement in significant criminal incidences. In this framework supporters

concentrates on the social and co-textual factors which might participate in minority youth’s
augmented involvement in crime (Thompson and Bynum, 2016)
Juvenile Justice
Campbell, et.al(2018), asserts that, the affiliation between juvenile justice system with race,
ethnicity and contact is difficult. The consequences of race as well as ethnicity on juvenile
justice system might variant through extralegal, regarding their presence and appropriate
aspects, comprising age and gender of youth along with neighbourhood
contexts(Hockenberry andPuzzanchera, 2015).
Race
As per study of Gabbidon and Greene(2018), there is alteration in the notion of race among
culture and eras, eventually becoming less connected with ancestral and familial ties and
more linked with superficial physical features. Previously, the philosophers have divided the
race into categories on the basis of different geographic areas, colour of body, ethnicities and
so on. Further, according to Claus, Vidal and Harmon(2018), their marquee for racial class
has been specified on area basis; for instance, Mongolia and the Caucus Mountains or
represented colour of skin (white, black, red etc.). Currently, conceptions of race, thus, which
tend to be relied on socioeconomic presumptions, elucidate how far removed modern race
comprehending is from biological characteristics. Moreover, Silverman(2016), specifies that
at present time, there are few individuals who think they are white really have melanin that is
a colour which signifies the colour of skin in comparison to entities that are recognised as
black.
Ethnicity
With accordance to Phillips, Bowling and McAra(2017) ethnicity refers to expressions
through which the shared culture can be expressed that are the practices, values as well as
beliefs of group. The same comprises collective language, religion along with traditions
amongst other commodities. Furthermore, the terms ethnicity is complex to define like same
in the case of race. Along with this, the interpretation of it’s not permanent that is it keep on
changing. Human beings can be recognised or self-identity with ethnicities in composite even
conflicting methods(Rothman, 2015).
Gender
Gender is believed as significant factor for ascertain the extent of disparity in juvenile justice.
It has been asserted that girls are charged as well as detained for low level offences in

comparison to boys as female disproportionately comprises(Liao, et.al. 2015). The specified
variant is critically assessed in order to analyze the justice system procedure for detaining
male as well as female for their crimes. Even though no proof is available that there is
increase in crimes done by females.As per assertions of Panneerselvam(2014), report
regarding changes to female role has a significant impact on the decision of judges and
prosecutors as the incarceration of women has grown up with enhanced speed.
RESEACRCH METHODOLOGY
Data Analysis
In present research the method which has been applied to assess the existing disparity in
practices of police is Analytical Approach. In this method descriptive and bivariate analysis is
applied to assess the significant of present disparity in juvenile arrest along with the manner
of dealing with juvenile victims. Further, hierarchical general linear model has been applied
in order to assess the significance of juvenile level and contextual constructs of referral. The
variable on which main emphasis has been made is race, ethnicity, gender, age, type of crime
and the fact that whether the arrestee was armed or not. As per study of Kubrin and
Wo(2016) multi-level modelling which comprising randomly varying error tem was applied
at various level of juvenile in order to explore the impact of decision of authority at aggregate
level units. Lastly organized generalized linear models approximations were made on the
basis of impact of juvenile level.
Sample Collection
In order to assess the disparity regarding race and ethnicity data relating to arrestee segment
of NIBRS was accessed in detail. Further, detail queries were made with the police and other
regulated authorities relating to Hispanic origin and other race of each person. Even the other
available sources of crime data were reassessed to assess the viability of gathered
information. The data applied in the study comprises information of arrestee of fourteen
states from the entire jurisdiction. Further, the arrestees were pooled across three years in
order to assure that appropriate statistical power and sufficient cases are available for
assessment of each racial and ethnic category of interest. It can be assessed that sufficient
qualitative and quantitative data has been assess in order to smooth out the significance of
statistically anomalous arrest specification within counties.

FINDINGS
From the above study of racial and ethnicity disparity it can be assessed that disposition
varied extensively by race as well as ethnicity. The behaviour of general people with
juveniles was not appropriate as it was rude and cruel. It can be concluded from above study
that people with less brutal charges faced amplified DMC. It is assessed that all the charges
and causes of ethnicity as well as race on outlook were sovereign and no discrimination
among White and non-white Hispanics. Furthermore, it is assessed that in comparison to
earlier research, when alleges were less solemn, the Hispanic girls not referred to regulated
authorities in significant manner. Disproportionate Minority Contact differs among regions,
but organizational difficultywas not extensively regardingdisposition. The same implies that
juveniles the regions under which juveniles were not advantaged as they were not referred to
authorities most of the times .Apart from this, future research on disposition, thus, must
discover the relation among society disadvantage and youth race as well as ethnicity,
comprising experiential progressions that can enhance the comprehending of relations.
Along with this, it has been assessed that the authorities of law which are responsible for
enforcement of provision are not probable in significant manner relating to issues of racial
and ethnic minority girls, regarding juvenile justice system. However the perspectives
through which these result operate vary: racial minority girls acquires more merciful
treatment for more serious offenses. On the other hand an ethnic minority girl enjoysmore
merciful treatment for less serious offenses. Another main fact which revealed during the
study is variation in exercising clemency relating to crimes conducted by Hispanic girls exist
in accordance with the seriousness.
CRITICAL EVALUATION OF RESEARCH
The methods applied in the research align with the symbolic threat theory. The same is
assessed as weakness of research as it underscores the significance of attributes and
perceptions of felonious behaviour relating to racial and ethnic minority youth. It is believed
that the assumptions which are carried on consistent manner for experimental and cross-
sectional study of facts attributed towards present research. The strength of the research
method is that legal, extralegal as well as contextual variants of the theory have been
comprised before making any final conclusion (Claus1, Vidal1 and Harmon1, 2018).

The main limitation of the research is that administrative sets have been applied which do not
capture the ethnicity in systematic manner and also arise constraints to racial comparison
within Black and White. With accordance to Jarvis (2015), it leads to enhancement in issues
as these minority groups might have different disparity and same might not lead to
appropriate conclusion. The result of the findings concludes that disposition can be
differentiated on the basis of race and ethnicity in significant manner. Moreover Hispanics
were not liked by the authorities in comparison to non-Hispanics. Lastly, for each model
which was applied in the study significant random variants were available relating to race and
ethnicity and it was assessed that the effect of same was different across countries.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from above discussion that above analysis can be applied in real world to
assess the actual extent of existing disparities. Moreover, racial minority girls were often not
referred to juvenile system in comparison to girls of minority race. The same concludes the
fact that disparity was excessive in less severe crimes.

Reflective Summary
Present research is mainly focused on assessment of present disparities relating to racial and
ethnical discrimination in the procedure applied by police while arresting victims. I learned in
this research that in case the facts are presented in front of appropriate authorities that it is
possible that it will brings positive returns as formal handlings acts like a decision phase at
which youth evolution into the court system. This study also provided me learning that racial
and ethnicity disparity can be assessed disposition varied extensively by race as well as
ethnicity. The fact which filled enthusiasm inside me was NIBRS is the sole legal source of
police statistics which systematically accumulates information on the racial and ethnicity
disparity in police handling of youth arrestees. In order to conclude appropriate decision
relating to actual decision I assessed large-scale administrative criminal justice data
collection this provides drawing upon a large multistate sample. During research, I assessed
that the racial and ethnicity are not more vulnerable to the consequences of stricter local
regulation enforcement or juvenile systems unique to single jurisdiction or country.Even
various hypotheses relating to selection as well as different variants such as attitude of legal
actors relating to ethnic and racial minority youth has been assessed and same has provided
strength to the findings of research. Thus, I also learned the manner of assessing extralegal
and contextual aspects which plays significant role in finding out the existence and extent of
racial as well as ethnic disparities in youth. The reason behind same is that their opinion
matters in significant manner as they are the one who will take decision relating to disparity
of persons who have been arrested.
I have also assessed that disposition differs from race and ethnicity. Moreover, during the
study I learned that DMC varies from region to region. The results of the research also
provide me the information that the grounds on which disposition can be distinguished are an
ethnicity and race. Moreover, every individual has the right to prove the innocence and for
the same the proper rights are needed. The facts which I attained during the research assisted
me in analyzing the views of juvenile justice actors related to efforts between ethnic and
American individualities among Hispanic girls. I learned the fact from same that they are
alleviating more cruel dispositions for specified races.

Since, it is very important subject matter to be concentrated on, it is necessary to evaluate the
methods or means to remove disparities so that everyone gets equal chance and opportunity.
The interesting part of the research was learning and application of new theories in order to
assess the extent existing disparity in the regulation. Moreover, as small inequalities
concerning post arrest decision can create likely serious effect in following legal interactions.
Thus, I analyzed that, it is very important to comprehend arresting executive behaviours and
attitudes as well as police agency-level superseding procedures efficiently which leads to
disparity treatment by race and ethnicity.

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