Juvenile Court Processing: Does School Status Play a Role?

• In Event: Exploring the Connection between Educational and Juvenile Justice Systems

Abstract

Extensive research examines various extra-legal and legal factors that influence juvenile justice processing, such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, criminal history, etc. On the other hand, much less research considers how school status plays a role in youth court outcomes, although school disciplinary events often lead to law enforcement contact. In order to further understand the nuances of this system, this study examines the impact of school status on youth court outcomes using six years (2010-2015) of juvenile court data from a large southeastern state. Specifically, this study considers how school status interacts with race and gender. Cross-level interactions are also examined, to assess how the influence of school status varies by neighborhood factors such as level of concentrated disadvantage.

Authors

• Rimonda Maroun, Endicott College

• Kareem L. Jordan, American University