Juvenile Justice System and Risk Factor Data - Illinois Criminal ...

Juvenile population data used in calculations
Juvenile population numbers are obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau through the National
Center of Juvenile Justice. In Juvenile Justice System and Risk Factor Data reports prior to the
2006 report, the Hispanic population used to calculate rates was double counted because they
were reported both in the race category they identified (e.g., black, white, etc.) and in the
Hispanic ethnicity category. However, in this report, the racial designations of black, white,
American Indian, and Asian are for non-Hispanic individuals only. The Hispanic ethnicity
category includes Hispanic individuals of any race. For example, a person who identified as
Hispanic and black would be included in t he Hispanic population category, but not the black
population category.
Ethnicity is not captured at the arrest stage, so Hispanic youth arrested can be included in any
racial category; therefore at the arrest stage racial category populations including Hispanic and
non-Hispanic youth were used to calculate DMC numbers. For example, the white youth
population included individuals who identified as non-Hispanic white and individuals who
identified as Hispanic white.
Representation index
Arrests
An RI of 1.0 would be equal representation in the general population and in the system, An RI
over 1.0 is over-rep resentation, and an RI under 1.0 is under-repres entation. In Illinois in 2007,
black y outh ages 10 to 16 were o ver-represented as they were arrested at a level that
was almost
triple their representation in the general Illinois youth population (RI=2.97). Asian youth were
under-represented and arrested at a level about 87 percent less than their representation in the
general youth population (RI=0.13), and white youth were under-represented and arrested at a
level about 46 percent less than their representation (RI=0.54). Table 6 depicts the RIs for
Illinois by race in Illinois in 2007.
Detention
Table 6
Youth arrest representation indices by race in Illinois, 2007
Percent of population Percent
RI
ages 10-16 arrested
Black 2.97 19.65% 58.27%
Asian 0.13 3.87% 0.51%
White 0.54 76.02% 40.76%
Note: Totals may not equal 100 percent due to rounding.
Sources: Authority’s CHRI Ad Hoc datasets and U.S. Census Bureau
In 2007, black youth ages 10 to 16 were admitted to dete ntion three times their representation in
the general youth population (RI=3.09). Hispanic youth were under-represented, detained at a
level 41 percent less than their representation (RI=0.59). Asian youth were under-represented at
96 percent less than their representation in the population (RI=0.04). White youth were also
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