Beyond monolithic threat: Understanding risk typology in court-involved Black male youth

Abstract

Black male youth are at greatest risk of disparate contact and detention in the U.S. juvenile justice system. This study aims to identify recidivism risk/need patterns among African American male youth in the Ohio juvenile justice system, utilizing cluster analysis of risk assessment data from the Ohio Youth Assessment System-Disposition (OYAS-DIS). We found four distinct risk patterns and accompanying recidivism rates in the Black male youth population. Two of the clusters exhibited moderate levels of risk. However, they had significantly different recidivism outcomes, suggesting certain combinations of risk factors have more or less impact the propensity for crime in the Black male sample. Implications for policy and practice are discussed, as well as future directions for research.

Keywords:

• Black male youth
• OYAS-DIS
• racial disparities
• recidivism
• risk assessment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by Award No. 2016-R2-CX-0045, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

Notes on contributors

Eyitayo Onifade

Eyitayo Onifade, Ph.D., M.S.W. is a Full Professor in the Whitney M. Young Jr., School of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University. Author of Healer of the Dead, his current work focuses on reforms of the criminal justice and mental healthcare systems.

Christina Campbell

Christina Campbell is an Associate Professor in the Criminology Department at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Campbell’s primary research interests include delinquency prevention, risk assessment, juvenile justice, child welfare policy, and reducing racial disparities in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.

Kwanele Shishane

Dr Kwanele Shishane is a graduate of the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She holds a PhD, a Master’s degree & BA Social Work. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Bedfordshire (United Kingdom). Her research interests include mental health, appetitive aggression, substance use, and recidivism among youth offenders.

Sylvia Annan

Sylvia Annan is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University.

Emma Odotei

Emma Odotei is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University.

Justin B. Williams

Justin B. Williams is a post-doctoral fellow affiliated with the Consortium of Community Scientists and Practitioners. His areas of research include the intersection between criminal justice and public health.