Racial disparities in referrals to mental health and substance abuse services from the juvenile justice system: a review of the literature

Research over the past four decades on decision-making in the juvenile justice system has frequently shown evidence of racial and ethnic disparity when it comes to processing minority youths. To identify and address racial disparities in the juvenile justice system, the US Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention requires that all states and territories track juvenile justice processing at nine decision points, such as referral to court, secure detention, and transfer to adult court. While those decision points are viewed as a useful starting point, disparities have been noted in other aspects of the juvenile justice system, including the utilization of mental health and substance abuse services among juveniles. The purpose of this article is to review 20 years of research literature (from 1995 through 2014) examining referrals to mental health and substance abuse services from within the juvenile justice system. The current research attempts to answer the question, 'Are there racial disparities in the decisions to refer youths to mental health and substance abuse services from within the juvenile justice system?' Twenty-six articles met inclusion criteria into this review, and the majority found at least some race effects in the decision to refer youths.