Influencing Policy through a State-Wide Evaluation to Assess and Diagnose Disproportionate Minority Contact

Background: Historically, Black and Hispanic youth have been disproportionately represented in the U.S. juvenile justice system. The federal government, through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), has targeted disparities through important policy initiatives spanning over forty years. The JJDP Act originally authorized in 1974, requires states participating in the initiative to address disproportionate minority contact (DMC) in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention plans. Through the 2002 re-authorization of the JJDP Act, more emphasis was placed upon evidence-based programs, research, training, and information dissemination.

Purpose of the Study:  During 2012-13, a research center in the southeastern U.S. convened a multidisciplinary team of researchers to conduct a statewide assessment of DMC. The study aimed to address the objectives of the first two phases (identification and assessment/diagnosis) of the OJJDP requirement for state compliance with the DMC Reduction Model. To address the aim, the following research questions were proposed:  At which decision points is DMC most significant? What are the contributing mechanisms to DMC?

Methods: The assessment employed quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the presence of DMC across decisions points and examine contributing mechanisms. DMC was assessed at multiple decision points along the juvenile justice continuum, including complaints approved, cases diverted, cases closed, cases adjudicated, cases dismissed, cases disposed and probation. The quantitative sample consisted of secondary data collected through a statewide dataset of 37,140 complaints from the 2011 calendar year. Key independent variables included age, type and severity of offense, region, race and ethnicity, gender, risk score, needs score, geographic region and place of the complaint.  Survival analysis was employed to assess the relationship between independent variables and decision points.

Original research was conducted via focus groups. The convenience sample was comprised of 55 key stakeholders, including school officials, law enforcement, judges, court counselors, and mental health service providers. Thematic analysis involved an inductive analytic approach to identify emergent themes. Nvivo was utilized to analyze themes.  

Summary of Results: Findings suggest that rates for Blacks were lower for diversion, cases closed, adjudication, disposition, and probation; rates for Hispanics were lower for approval, diversion, cases closed, adjudication, dismissed, disposition, and probation. Findings reveal that rates of prior arrests and participation in non-divertible cases (e.g., felony arrests) for Black offenders were significant contributing mechanisms for DMC. Qualitative findings revealed the presence of cumulative risk and protective factors that contribute to DMC. Additionally, targeted prevention programs were identified as protective factors in reducing delinquency.

Conclusion and Implications: Quantitative findings demonstrate that disproportionality remains at some decision points such as adjudication, disposition and probation for minority youth. Blacks and Hispanics were also less likely to participate in diversionary interventions to reduce re-offending than their White counterparts. Qualitative findings have implications on the importance of targeting specific evidence-based interventions that address the needs of youth, their families, and communities. The assessment has significant policy implications in state-wide planning of appropriate delinquency prevention and systems improvement activities based on the findings. Results have been utilized to maintain compliance with OJJDP’s DMC Reduction Model.