Racial disparities in charging juveniles as adults?

[Baltimatt]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/mar...tory?track=rss

It seems people in the article are repeatedly referencing share of total population when comparing the number of each race charged as adults, rather than number of each race arrested.

I'm limited to using my smart phone right now, so it makes it difficult to quote pieces from the article.

[Baltimatt]

"Such decisions should be informed by in-depth assessments of the potential threat juveniles pose to a community along with the consequences transfer to adult criminal court may have for a juvenile," Gibson said. "Transfer should be reserved for those juveniles who pose the greatest threat to society; those that criminologists commonly refer to as chronic, high rate, or persistent offenders.

Would Nicholas Browning qualify as a chronic high rate, or persistent offender?

[demopublican]

It seems strange to compare racial percentages charged as adults to the percent in the city/county/state population. The correct comparison would the racial break down by crime committed.
If black kids charged with violent crime are not being treated the same as other races that would be worthy of investigation. But youth crime in Baltimore is overwhelmingly black so it does not seem shocking to learn that most of the youths charged as adults are black.

[Baltimatt]

Once a juvenile is charged as an adult, that's not the end of it; it's possible for a reverse waiver back to juvenile court. Fourteen year old Hassanhii Garrett was originally charged as an adult for a hammer attack on his grandmother that eventually killed her. His case was waived back to juvenile court.

http://talk.baltimoresun.com/showthread.php?t=290167

[Baltimatt]

It seems strange to compare racial percentages charged as adults to the percent in the city/county/state population. The correct comparison would the racial break down by crime committed.
If black kids charged with violent crime are not being treated the same as other races that would be worthy of investigation. But youth crime in Baltimore is overwhelmingly black so it does not seem shocking to learn that most of the youths charged as adults are black.

Exactly!

[Baltimatt]

Another thing is that in many places the numbers are so small that statistical anomalies are likely.

[ichy]

People keep on comparing the % charged as adults vs the percentage of the population, but none of the idiots in the article want to acknowledge the fact that african americans commit crime at a disproportionately high rate in Maryland. Reality offends some people's delicate PC sensibilities.

[Lawman 27]

Once a juvenile is charged as an adult, that's not the end of it; it's possible for a reverse waiver back to juvenile court. Fourteen year old Hassanhii Garrett was originally charged as an adult for a hammer attack on his grandmother that eventually killed her. His case was waived back to juvenile court.

http://talk.baltimoresun.com/showthread.php?t=290167

As a general rule Police will automatically charge a juvenile as an adult if the charges justify it. It has nothing to do with race/creed/color/national origin/immigration status/gender/gender orientation/etc IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CRIME.

Interesting to note is that at the reverse waiver hearings the defense attorney/public defenders are quick to point out race (etc) of a juvenile. They seem to infere that since the juvenile was a certain race (etc) that he/she couldn't help themselves. TO ME that sounds like the worst kind of racism.

[Lawman 27]

The Baltimore Sun compiled the data for this analysis by asking each local detention center to submit one day of statistics from November.

So the Sunpapers did not compile data by asking WHAT the crimes were, they just went off of whatever statistic proved their point.

Matt,

Either the Sun wanted to generate another useless story, or they wanted to UPSET a certain group of people. EITHER WAY it makes the job of honest cops even harder. As the "Site Moderator," can't you speak to the Sun writers and try to instill some integrity in them?

[pepper]

So the Sunpapers did not compile data by asking WHAT the crimes were, they just went off of whatever statistic proved their point.

Matt,

Either the Sun wanted to generate another useless story, or they wanted to UPSET a certain group of people. EITHER WAY it makes the job of honest cops even harder. As the "Site Moderator," can't you speak to the Sun writers and try to instill some integrity in them?

According to the story, you can't be a juvenile charged as an adult unless it's a serious crime. Those specifics were intentionally avoided by the study.

Of course it's a terrible problem, but this study shows (IMO) the end result of larger issues in these teens lives that are in play long before they come in contact with the cops.

[genghiskhanraven]

What a crock of crap, no way in hell black youths only account for 63% of Juvenile crime in the city. I would love for them to admit black yourhs account for over 95% of violent juvenile criminals which is why 83% were charged as adults, why won't they release that number?
Here's what they just don't get, if they want to cut violent criminals a break because they're black and young the next victims of these thugs most likely will be blacks. the idiots are only going to inflict more pain on the black community.

[musicmd]

What a crock of crap, no way in hell black youths only account for 63% of Juvenile crime in the city. I would love for them to admit black yourhs account for over 95% of violent juvenile criminals which is why 83% were charged as adults, why won't they release that number?
Here's what they just don't get, if they want to cut violent criminals a break because they're black and young the next victims of these thugs most likely will be blacks. the idiots are only going to inflict more pain on the black community.

Well, provide proof

[genghiskhanraven]

If the clowns want to imply the criminal justice system is racist in Baltimore then it's up to those idiots to supply the facts.
If Black youths are 85% of those charged as adults BUT commited less then 85% of juvenile crime the race hustlers would be screaming from the top of a mountain, they didn't release the percentage of Juvie crimes commited by black males because it didn't fit their agenda.
Most of the youths charged as adults are from the city, so if they think the city leaders are racist have at it

[demopublican]

If only a single party had been in charge of the city for decades. Than we would know who to blame.

[bmore_ken]

If only a single party had been in charge of the city for decades. Than we would know who to blame.

Yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[demopublican]

It does get boring.

[bmore_ken]

It does get boring.

Yeah the whole blame a politician thing does get boring and quite old. It would make too much sense to blame the individuals committing the crimes

[demopublican]

You can blame the individual for the individual crimes.
But leaders do have to find ways to change bad patterns.

[bmore_ken]

You can blame the individual for the individual crimes.
But leaders do have to find ways to change bad patterns.

I'm not sure what magical powers "leaders" have to accomplish that

[pepper]

I'm not sure what magical powers "leaders" have to accomplish that

They have the power to enact policy and programs, sometimes with a misguided attempt to right wrongs, programs and policy that are potentially damaging, but at the same time create a dependent class of voters.

BTW, this works with right wingers as well as anyone. The magic power comes in the form of promises. People will vote in their interests, even if it's not always the best long term idea.