Racial and Ethnic Fairness |
National data show disparities for minority youth at the court referral, detention, placement, and waiver to criminal court stages. |
Case processing characteristics of delinquency offenses by race, 2019
Counts |
Total |
White |
Minority |
Black |
AIAN* |
AHPI** |
Hispanic |
Population (10 to upper age) |
31,878,900 |
16,912,900 |
14,966,000 |
4,726,300 |
599,400 |
1,909,100 |
7,731,300 |
Cases referred to juvenile court |
722,600 |
310,200 |
412,500 |
254,800 |
12,900 |
8,700 |
136,100 |
Cases diverted |
199,200 |
104,000 |
95,200 |
51,300 |
3,300 |
2,700 |
38,000 |
Cases detained |
186,600 |
63,100 |
123,500 |
75,100 |
3,200 |
2,200 |
42,900 |
Cases petitioned |
386,600 |
150,100 |
236,500 |
153,700 |
7,200 |
4,500 |
71,200 |
Cases adjudicated |
203,600 |
79,400 |
124,200 |
76,200 |
4,100 |
2,400 |
41,500 |
Adjudicated cases resulting in probation |
132,200 |
54,000 |
78,200 |
46,600 |
2,700 |
1,800 |
27,200 |
Adjudicated cases resulting in placement |
55,100 |
17,200 |
37,900 |
23,600 |
1,000 |
500 |
12,700 |
Cases judicially waived |
3,300 |
1,100 |
2,200 |
1,700 |
<50 |
<50 |
400 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rates |
Total |
White |
Minority |
Black |
AIAN* |
AHPI** |
Hispanic |
Cases referred per 1,000 population |
22.7 |
18.3 |
27.6 |
53.9 |
21.5 |
4.5 |
17.6 |
Cases diverted per 100 cases referred |
27.6 |
33.5 |
23.1 |
20.1 |
25.3 |
31.0 |
27.9 |
Cases detained per 100 cases referred |
25.8 |
20.3 |
29.9 |
29.5 |
25.2 |
25.6 |
31.5 |
Cases petitioned per 100 cases referred |
53.5 |
48.4 |
57.3 |
60.3 |
55.7 |
51.9 |
52.3 |
Cases adjudicated per 100 cases petitioned |
52.7 |
52.9 |
52.5 |
49.6 |
57.4 |
52.3 |
58.3 |
Probation cases per 100 adjudicated cases |
64.9 |
68.0 |
62.9 |
61.1 |
64.5 |
74.5 |
65.4 |
Placement cases per 100 adjudicated cases |
27.1 |
21.7 |
30.5 |
31.0 |
24.6 |
20.6 |
30.6 |
Cases judicially waived per 100 cases petitioned |
0.9 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratio of Rates1 |
|
|
Minority |
Black |
AIAN* |
AHPI** |
Hispanic |
Referral rate |
|
|
1.5 |
2.9 |
1.2 |
0.2 |
1.0 |
Diversion rate |
|
|
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
Detention rate |
|
|
1.5 |
1.4 |
1.2 |
1.3 |
1.6 |
Petitioned rate |
|
|
1.2 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
Adjudicated rate |
|
|
1.0 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
Probation rate |
|
|
0.9 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
Placement rate |
|
|
1.4 |
1.4 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
1.4 |
Waiver rate |
|
|
1.3 |
1.5 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
1 The ratio of rates is created by dividing the rates for each race/ethnic minority group by the white rate. A ratio of 1.0 indicates statistical parity, i.e., the rates for the comparison groups are equal. For example, if white youth and black youth were referred at the same rate, the ratio would be 1.0, indicating the rates for these groups are equal. When the ratio exceeds 1.0, the rate for the race/ethnic minority group exceeds the rate for white youth; when it is below 1.0, the rate for race/ethnic minority youth is less than the rate for white youth.
**AIAN: American Indian or Alaskan Native; ***AHPI: Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander.
[ CSV file ]
- In 2019, cases involving black youth were nearly three times more likely to be referred to juvenile court for a delinquency offense than cases involving white youth.
- The diversion rate for cases involving black, American Indian, and Hispanic youth was less than the diversion rate for cases involving white youth.
- Regardless of race/ethnicity, delinquency cases involving minority youth were more likely to involve detention than cases involving white youth.
- Cases involving black youth were more likely to be petitioned than cases involving white youth, but were less likely to result in a delinquency adjudication.
- Cases involving Hispanic youth were 60% more likely to involve detention than cases involving white youth, and 40% more likely to receive a placement disposition.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/special_topics/qa11601.asp?qaDate=2019.
Released on June 22, 2021.
Data Source: Adapted from Easy Access to Juvenile Populations [https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezapop/] and Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics [https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezajcs/].
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