Examining the Disconnect in Youth Pathways and Court Responses: How Bias Invades Across Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Sexual Orientation

Abstract

Understanding court-involved girls’ pathways has been an important area of inquiry among feminist criminologists, and is especially crucial through an intersectional lens. This research highlights the intersectional identities of youth in the system using qualitative interview data from a Midwestern juvenile court ( n  = 39). Modified analytic induction was used to develop assertions and examine perceived pathways present in the narratives of court staff. Findings indicate that juvenile practitioner biases affect the way the court responds to youth with a focus on girls across intersectional identities. These findings have implications for theory, practice, and policy for working with court-involved youth of all genders.