Dear John, Profound racial and ethnic disparities in youth incarceration define the American juvenile justice system. New publications released today by The Sentencing Project detail the scope of the problem and should raise alarms among policymakers and advocates committed to racial justice. Our new fact sheets show state-by-state incarceration rates by race and ethnicity and highlight where the problem is getting worse and better. - Black Disparities in Youth Incarceration
- Black youth are more than four times as likely as their white peers to be held in juvenile facilities, a modest improvement since 2015’s all-time high.
- In New Jersey, Black youth are more than 17 times as likely to be incarcerated than their white peers.
- Latinx Disparities in Youth Incarceration
- Latinx youth are 28 percent more likely to be incarcerated than their white peers, a sharp improvement over the course of the decade.
- In Massachusetts, Latinx youth are five times more likely to be incarcerated than their white peers.
- Tribal Disparities in Youth Incarceration
- Tribal youth’s disparities have grown worse over the course of the decade, and they are now more than three times as likely to be incarcerated than their white peers.
- In Minnesota, Tribal youth are 12 times more likely to be incarcerated than their white peers.
The Sentencing Project has long recommended the use of racial impact statements to divulge the source of disparities such as these. To overcome them, states and localities must invest heavily in community programs that address inequality at all stages of life, with particular focus on accommodating the needs of children of color. | |
Sample social media post - New @Sentencingproj Data: Black youth are more than 4X as likely as their white peers to be held in juvenile facilities. https://bit.ly/2VPKgXb
- Latinx youth are 28% more likely to be incarcerated than their white peers, a sharp improvement over the course of the decade. @SentencingProj https://bit.ly/3z0mINj
- Tribal youth are incarcerated 3X more often than white youth, @SentencingProj reports. https://bit.ly/36Rwu8J
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