The Impact of Race on Youth Incarceration Experiences, a Secondary Analysis of the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement

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Abstract

Racial disparities in juvenile justice persist despite concentrated reduction efforts by federal, state, and local entities. As such, the issue deserves careful consideration. The Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) and Juvenile Residential Facility Census (JRFC) provide the opportunity to assess racial disparities in the backgrounds, incarceration experiences, and future expectations of incarcerated youth, and the extent to which observed disparities are independent of one another. The size and nationally representative nature of the sample, variety of variables, and number of cases in each racial category provide a unique opportunity to assess disparity among youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Results and implications of the findings will be discussed.

Authors

• Konrad Haight, American Institutes for Research

• G. Roger Jarjoura, American Institutes for Research