The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding if, and to what extent, race and ethnicity played a role in the experiences of youth confined in juvenile facilities across the United States.
Racial and ethnic disparities (RED) in the U.S. juvenile justice system have been the subject of a vast body of research for many years. Much of the scholarship on this phenomenon sheds light at key decision points of the system such as arrest, disposition, and adult transfer. However, very few studies have examined RED outcomes within critical stages of the system such as confinement facilities. In this study, the author investigated the ways in which the experiences of youth in juvenile confinement facilities differed across racial and ethnic groups. The author hypothesized that (1) Minority youth would experience more control-oriented interventions than White youth, (2) Minority youth would experience longer lengths of stay than White youth, and (3) Minority youth would experience fewer connections to reentry services than White youth.