Demographics

Perception of Procedural Justice Amongst Previously Incarcerated Youth: Procedural Justice in Incarcerated Youth

Violence among incarcerated youths is a serious public health issue and an area of marked health disparities. Procedural Justice is an ethical framework to guide policy approaches in the criminal justice system. The purpose of our study was to evaluate youth perception of neutrality, respect, trust, and voice while incarcerated. Young people ages 14 to 21 previously incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility were interviewed regarding their perceptions of procedural justice. Participants were recruited from community-based organizations. Interviews were semi-structured, lasting for 1 hr. Interviews were coded for themes related to procedural justice. Twenty-eight participants were interviewed regarding their experience with procedural justice while incarcerated. Key themes included: Neutrality: Participants felt that they were treated impartially regarding everyone receiving the same punishment for offenses; however, levels of punishments for offenses were inconsistent. Respect: Participants often felt disrespected by staff. Trust: The participants did not feel safe to trust. Voice: Participants felt they had no voice while incarcerated. Previously incarcerated youth perceptions indicated a need for more training in the juvenile detention system to enable staff members to have a better understanding of procedural justice and to appropriately utilize it.

Spotlight on Juvenile Justice: How Did We Get Here?

Structural racism and inequity permeate the juvenile justice system. The earliest delinquency programs were developed at a time when slavery was still legal in the United States and Indigenous Americans were considered "savages," representing dehumanizing systems and beliefs that left lasting structural racism.¹ Nearly 200 years later, racism continues to shape and structure our juvenile justice system both directly and indirectly. This article will underscore the historical legacy of structural racism in the juvenile justice system, an understanding necessary to address systemic change.