Justice by Geography: Comparisons of Youth Poverty Rate and Juvenile Legal System Involvement in Washington State by County

Abstract

Justice by geography is the variation of youth outcomes across various stages of the juvenile legal system depending on location. The purpose of the current research is to assess aspects of justice by geography in Washington state by studying the relationship between youth poverty rate, disposition rates, and population density. Quantitative data were analyzed for 15 of Washington’s 39 counties. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 people working with justice impacted youth and were reviewed for themes. Counties with higher youth poverty rates were found to have higher disposition rates. Geographic variation in case outcomes across Washington’s juvenile legal system are supported by the quantitative and qualitative data. Policy recommendations for creating a more just juvenile legal system are vast, with significant barriers, including lack of resources in rural counties. Straightforward policy proposals could improve youth outcomes including raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility and increasing oversight of counties’ pre-file diversion counts.