ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the prior research by examining the impact of concentrated disadvantage on juvenile court outcomes. The intent was to assess whether offenders living in neighborhoods characterized by concentrated disadvantage experience harsher outcomes. The chapter aims to determine whether Black and Hispanic offenders living in disadvantaged areas experienced harsher outcomes in comparison to similarly situated White youth. The interaction between ethnicity and disadvantage had a positive impact on disposition and the type of residential commitment/placement. Concentrated disadvantage significantly impacted diversion, adjudication, and probation type, but did not significantly impact probation, disposition, or commitment type. The relationship between disadvantage and adjudication outcomes was as expected the likelihood of being adjudicated a delinquent increased. Cross-level interactions between concentrated disadvantage and race/ethnicity yielded several significant results. Several cross-level interactions were significant, identifying at which point racial and ethnic disparities in sentencing are exacerbated by community context.
