The Overrepresentation of Juveniles of Color in the Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system foundation historically was based on discriminatory and racial undertones for people of color; hence, the significance of mass incarceration in the United States. The juvenile justice system often parallels and mimics the adult penal system. Thus, many of the same racial disparities continue to exist in the juvenile system, as do the adult system. The prevalence of racial disparities within the juvenile justice system has led to the overrepresentation of juveniles of color. Systemic racism has been significant to the overrepresentation of juveniles of color in the juvenile justice system. There are extenuating barriers and disadvantages that juveniles of color endure because of educational issues, mental health issues, substance abuse, behavioral concerns, and socioeconomic factors. The importance of this study is it provided mitigating factors that have led to the overrepresentation of juveniles of color in the juvenile justice system. This quantitative study utilized survey methods provided to two hundred and ten individuals who were in five groups associated with a juvenile court system in the southeastern region of the United States. Those individuals included court, school, Detention, Law Enforcement personnel, and parents/guardians/young adults who had contact with the juvenile court. The results showed statistical significance in multiple variables as it relates to the overrepresentation of juveniles of color in the juvenile justice system such as programs, community, race, and school.