Black and minority ethnic groups and youth offending

Despite significant concerns and public inquiries concerning the treatment of ethnic minorities within the criminal justice system as a whole, research on this area in relation to the youth justice system is comparatively rare. What evidence there is demonstrates that ethnicity can have a significant impact on the progress of young people through the youth justice system. United States based research on the topic, where high proportions of ethnic minority groups are caught up within the youth justice system, is examined. Current problems to be addressed are analysed, and suggestions on how to improve the system are given, including in the area of ethnic monitoring, which we identify as a key issue to be addressed in order to identify and deal with any possible discrimination within the youth justice system.