Youth Crime/Adult Time:
Is Justice Served?
Queens County, New York
The Building Blocks for Youth report, Youth Crime/Adult Time: Is Justice Served? released on October 26, 2000, reveals disturbing aspects of the prosecution of minority youth in adult court. Overall, the findings show over-representation and disparate treatment of minority youth, and raise serious questions about the fairness and appropriateness of prosecuting youth in the adult criminal system.
In Queens County, New York, findings show that:
- 100% of the determinations to prosecute youth in the adult criminal court were made by prosecutors or legislators.
- Overall, 94% of cases filed in adult criminal courts involved minority youth.
- 100% of all youth who were detained pretrial were held in juvenile facilities.
- White youth were 5 times more likely to be represented by retained private counsel as African-American youth. Youth who were represented by retained private attorneys were less likely to be convicted and more likely to be transferred back to juvenile court.
- No White youth received a sentence of incarceration compared to 41% of African-American youth and 18% of Latino youth (as opposed to split sentences or probation).
To obtain the executive summary of Youth Crime/Adult Time: Is Justice Served?,visit the Building Blocks for Youth website at: www.buildingblocksforyouth.org.
For the latest Building Blocks for Youth initiative reports, fact sheets, and materials, subscribe to the on-line newsletter by sending an email to: info.bby@erols.com. For additional information, contact: Building Blocks for Youth initiative, Youth Law Center, 1010 Vermont Ave., N.W., Suite 310, Washington, D.C. 20005. Phone: 202/637-0377; Fax: 202/379-1600; Email: info.bby@erols.com.
Return to Table of Contents
Home /
Juvenile Justice Issues /
State-by-State Info /
Research
Newsroom /
About Us /
BBY Partners /
Contact us
Building Blocks for Youth
For a fair and effective youth justice system
...a comprehensive effort to protect minority youth in the justice system
and to promote rational and effective juvenile justice policies...
