A comprehensive new report that reveals disturbing aspects in the transfer of youth, especially minority youth, to the adult criminal court. 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.

The report was commissioned by the Building Blocks for Youth initiative, a national project to address racial disparities in the juvenile justice system and promote rational and effective justice policies, and prepared by the Pretrial Services Resource Center (PSRC).

• Most determinations to prosecute juveniles as adults were not made by judges (15%), but instead by prosecutors or legislatures (85%).
• Overall, 82% of cases filed in adult courts involved minority youth.
• Minority youth were disproportionately charged in adult court. For example, in Jefferson County, Alabama, African American youth accounted for approximately 3 out of 10 felony arrests, but represented 8 out of 10 felony cases filed in criminal court.
• Nearly two-thirds of all youth who were detained pretrial were held in adult jails where youth are at serious risk of rape, assault, death, and suicide.
• White youth are twice as likely to be represented by private counsel as African American youth. Youth who are represented by private attorneys were less likely to be convicted and more likely to be transferred back to juvenile court.
• African American (43%) and Latino (37%) youth were more likely than White youth (26%) to receive a sentence of incarceration (as opposed to split sentences or probation.)

To obtain a printed copy, please use our order form.