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Publication Date: March 2008
Publisher: MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice (ADJJ)
Author(s): Samantha Harvell; Jennifer L. Woolard
Research Area: Justice; Law and ethics
Keywords: Youth offenders; Juvenile delinquency; Juvenile justice; Racial profiling
Type: Report
Coverage: Florida Pennsylvania California
Abstract:
The present study examines age differences in anticipatory injustice, or the expectation of unfair or discriminatory treatment in the legal system. 1,393 adolescents and young adults from the community or from detention centers and jails were interviewed regarding demographic and justice system experience, intelligence, expectations about fair treatment, and legal decisions. African Americans and Latinos and those with more system experience expected greater injustice across multiple legal contexts. Anticipatory injustice increased with age among African Americans and those with the most system experience. It also predicted choices about police interrogation, attorney consultation, and plea agreements. Anticipations of injustice during adolescence may affect future interactions with court officials as well as more general constructs of legal socialization