How common is it for young people to be pulled into the criminal justice system by the time they are adults? This is the question posed by a study published in the journal, Demographic Research. The authors of the study analyzed data from the Transition to Adulthood Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to determine the cumulative risk of arrest from childhood to age 26 by race and Hispanic origin, gender, and parental education. The findings are shocking...
Cumulative risk of arrest by age 26 by highest level of parental education
| high school | some college | college or more | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MALES | |||
| Black | 60% | 65% | 39% |
| Non-Hispanic white | 39% | 38% | 24% |
| FEMALES | |||
| Black | 28% | 31% | 10% |
| Non-Hispanic white | 24% | 19% | 12% |
The numbers are astounding regardless of gender or race. But for young Black males with parents who do not have a college degree, the findings are devastating. The great majority have been arrested by age 26.
The researchers also examined the risk of incarceration by age 26. Among Black males with parents who have no more than a high school diploma, more than one-third (38 percent) had been incarcerated by age 26. The figures are 30 percent among Black males whose parents have some college and 14 percent among those whose parents are college graduates. The comparable figures for non-Hispanic white males are 20, 15, and 8 percent.
"This study provides evidence of the prominent but highly unequal role of the criminal legal system in the lives of young people," conclude the researchers. The evidence provides "much needed context for understanding the role of the criminal legal system in shaping inequalities in young people's trajectories of health, development, and life chances."
Source: Demographic Research, Volume 46, Article 5, Early Life Patterns of Criminal Legal System Involvement: Inequalities by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Parental Education
No comments:
Post a Comment