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. 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.