Child Welfare Involvement and Preadjudication Detention: Do Child Welfare Histories Influence Detention Outcomes of Minority Youth?

• In Event: The Intersections of Race, Ethnicity and Gender: A Focus on Crime and Case Outcomes

Abstract

An abundance of literature has sought to better understand the legal and extralegal factors associated with the overrepresentation of minority youth in juvenile detention facilities. Lacking from these inquiries is how a history of or current dual-involvement with child welfare services impacts the decision-making process of court officials. Numerous youth being processed in the juvenile justice system possess this “crossover” status, bringing with them unique attributes, including histories of abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction that may influence court outcomes. Further, this “crossover” or “dually-involved” status has yet to be empirically examined as a factor in the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system. Using juvenile court files of youth from a southwest urban jurisdiction, the current study examines whether “crossover” youth are more likely to be detained during the pre-adjudication stage than their delinquent-only counterparts, and whether the differences in detention between these two groups vary by race. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Authors

• Arynn Alexandria Infante, Arizona State University

• Nancy Rodriguez, Arizona State University