The National Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED) Databook is designed to give users an understanding of the level of disparity at various stages of the juvenile justice system. New users should review the sections entitled "Measuring Disparity" and "Data Needed to Measure Disparity". The first briefly discusses the method for assessing disparity used in the R/ED Databook. The second discusses the data needed to measure disparity at various decision points within in the juvenile justice system and the compromises that at times need to occur.
In the National Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED) Databook, users can review the counts and rates that characterize the processing of delinquency cases by the juvenile justice system and then study the ratio of rates between racial/ethnic minority youth and white youth. The ratio of rates helps to pinpoint and quantify the levels of disparity introduced at various decision points within the system. It is hoped that users can develop a better understanding of how racial/ethnic disparities are measured and can apply this understanding when reviewing this data dissemination tool, Additionally, the national data can serve as a benchmark against which local data can be compared.
