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The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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an <strong>in</strong>formal adjustment, or be recommended to go on to the stage <strong>of</strong> petition. “An<br />

<strong>in</strong>formal adjustment” is a form <strong>of</strong> diversion where the youth avoids further process<strong>in</strong>g by<br />

agree<strong>in</strong>g to participate <strong>in</strong> some type <strong>of</strong> service (e.g., <strong>in</strong>formal probation, restitution,<br />

community service). Under this form <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>tervention, a youth may be redirected <strong>in</strong>to the<br />

system if he/she fails to abide by the conditions <strong>of</strong> the agreement. State statute requires<br />

admittance <strong>of</strong> guilt as a prerequisite for this outcome. This stage is treated as a trichotomy<br />

with release coded 0, <strong>in</strong>formal adjustment coded 1 and further process<strong>in</strong>g coded 2.<br />

Petition. <strong>The</strong> cod<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the decision to seek further court process<strong>in</strong>g is<br />

represented by 0 where petition equals yes. <strong>The</strong> decision not to file a petition or if the<br />

petition was withdrawn was coded 1.<br />

Initial Appearance. This stage <strong>in</strong> the analysis is <strong>in</strong>cluded because youth have the<br />

option here to agree to a consent decree or a formal adjustment rather than hav<strong>in</strong>g to go<br />

on to the adjudicatory stage <strong>in</strong> the proceed<strong>in</strong>gs. This option is equivalent to the <strong>in</strong>formal<br />

adjustment, though a petition has been filed at this po<strong>in</strong>t. Aga<strong>in</strong>, if a youth fails to adhere<br />

to the stipulated conditions he/she may be subject to further juvenile court proceed<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />

Further court process<strong>in</strong>g is coded 0, while youth receiv<strong>in</strong>g a formal adjustment is<br />

coded 1.<br />

Adjudication. For those youth who did not agree to or have <strong>of</strong>fered to them a<br />

formal adjustment, adjudicatory outcomes consist <strong>of</strong> case dismissals, decisions to<br />

withhold adjudication, and adjudications <strong>of</strong> del<strong>in</strong>quency. <strong>The</strong> cod<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> adjudicatory

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