Institutional Stay and The Perception of Procedural Justice from ages 16-23

• In Event: Evolving Challenges in Juvenile Justice

Abstract

Procedural Justice refers to fairness and equality connected with arrest and court processing. Individuals’ contact with the justice system may alter their perception of procedural justice. Alternatively, individuals who perceive the criminal justice system as injustice, are more likely to commit crimes, which may further influence their contact with the criminal justice system. However, few studies have examined the bidirectional link between institutional stay and the perception of procedural justice amongst transitional-aged youth (16-23). The current study uses the data from the Pathway to Desistance Project and tests the bidirectional relationship over the age span from 16 to 23. A sample of 1354 juvenile offenders were interviewed for 11 waves over 7 years and information on their institutional stay (e.g., a secured facility, treatment center) and their perception of procedural justice were collected. A cross-lagged panel model will be conducted, and findings will be presented. We will discuss our findings by utilizing socialization theory. We utilize socialization by which individuals acquire information through experiences to form judgements of procedural justice and update these judgements over time.

Authors

• Cassidey Nichols, Georgia State University

• Katherine French, Georgia State University

• Frances Chen, Georgia State University