Examining potential Extralegal Factors Leading to Out-of-home Placement for First-time Status Offenders in a Large Urban County

Abstract

This study explores the potential disparities in the judicial processing of status offenders within the U.S. juvenile justice system, with a focus on how race, gender, and offense type impact the likelihood of receiving out-of-home placements. Logistic regression models were used to examine first-time offenders from a large urban Midwestern County, with special attention paid to status offenders. The findings reveal that Black status offenders and those charged with incorrigibility are disproportionately subjected to out-of-home placements, despite the typically minor nature of status offenses. These findings necessitate attention to how status offenders move through the juvenile justice system. Implications for practice within the juvenile justice system, policy reforms, and the need for continued scholarly efforts are discussed.