Pathways Through the Juvenile Justice System

• Author: Sarah El Sayed,Matt DeLisi,Minwoo Yun,Robert G. Morris,Jonathan W. Caudill
• DOI: 10.1177/1541204012472211
• Published date: 01 July 2013
• Date: 01 July 2013
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Pathways Through the

Juvenile Justice System:

Predictors of Formal

Disposition

Jonathan W. Caudill

1

, Robert G. Morris

2

, Sarah El Sayed

2

,

Minwoo Yun

3

, and Matt DeLisi

4

Abstract

Previous scholarship on juvenile case dispositions has suggested a complex relationship between

legal and extra-legal factors. Previous studies, however, have suffered from methodological limita-

tions of cross-sectional data that potentially overstated the salience of extra-legal factors. This study

addressed that limitation using longitudinal case-management system data from a large southern

state. The findings suggested a distinction between the first referral and subsequent referrals.

Extra-legal factors, such as age, gender, and race contributed to formal case disposition in the first

referral, but waned in referrals two through six. Legal factors significantly and robustly predicted

formal case disposition in the first and subsequent referrals. Felony offense significantly increased

the likelihood of a formal disposition across all referrals and previous case disposition significantly

increased the likelihood of formal disposition in subsequent referrals. Concluding remarks focus

on implications and future research.

Keywords

juvenile justice, formal disposition, criminal history, race, legal factors

Introduction

From inception, the juvenile court’s vision differed from the criminal courts as it viewed juveniles

with diminished culpability and in need of individualized attention. While a driving philosophy

within the juvenile justice system, juvenile crime and the system’s response to such crime over the

past 20 years has guided this vision toward more punitive measures (Hinton, Sims, Adams, & West,

2007). The crime spike and subsequent downturn in the United States encouraged researchers to

1

Political Science Department, California State University, Chico, CA, USA

2

University of Texas, Richardson, TX, USA

3

Gachon University, Seoul, Korea

4

Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Jonathan W. Caudill, Political Science Department, California State University CSU, Chico, CA 95929, USA.

Email: jcaudill@csuchico.edu

Youth Violence and JuvenileJustice

11(3) 183-195

ªThe Author(s) 2013

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DOI: 10.1177/1541204012472211

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