NCJ Number
162235
Date Published
1996
Length
49 pages
Annotation
The processing of juvenile offenders by the Dallas County (Tex.) juvenile probation system is examined, with emphasis on the racial composition of the juvenile probation population.
Abstract
An analysis of the Dallas County rate of juvenile arrests, referrals to the probation department, formal dispositions, and commitments to the Texas Youth Commission revealed that the Dallas rates were similar to statewide patterns, as well as the rates in the other most populous counties. The racial composition of arrests and referrals in Dallas County also followed statewide patterns. Statewide and in all counties, the percentage of black and Hispanic juveniles arrested and referred was higher than their representation in the general population. In Dallas County, 38 percent of black youth, 29 percent of Hispanic youth, and 20 percent of white youth were adjudicated and disposed by the court. In contrast, informal dispositions divert youths from the juvenile court. The nature of the referrals make it more likely for blacks to be disposed formally; blacks represented 47 percent of referrals but 70 percent of all referrals for drug law offenses, 60 percent of all referrals for violent offenses, and 59 percent of referrals for violations of probation. Fourteen percent of females and 35 percent of males were disposed formally. The lower percentage of females among blacks referred than among other racial groups also make it more likely for blacks as a group to have a higher proportion of their referrals disposed formally. Figures and tables