Critical Condition: African-American Youth in the Justice System

This policy brief looks at why and how we can stop the harsh and unequal treatment of African-American youth by the justice system versus white youth, for the same offenses, at all stages in the justice system. It reviews the juvenile justice case processing system, demographic data, risk and protective factors, criminal activity reported by African-American youth, disparities in the juvenile justice and adult criminal system, and promising approaches and policy recommendations to combat disproportionate minority confinement.