- Title
- Policing Disability: Law Enforcement Contact among Urban Teens
- Author(s)
- Amanda Geller Amanda Geller (UC Irvine Department of Criminology, Law and Society)
- Kristin Turney Kristin Turney (UC Irvine Department of Sociology)
- Sarah Remes Sarah Remes (DC Action)
- Abstract
- Youth with disabilities, especially disabilities with behavioral manifestations, are at high risk for intrusive police contact, as are youth of color. However, most current research cannot identify diagnosis or race/ethnicity as distinct risk factors from socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics. Using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N=3,128), we assessed disparities in three measures of youth-police contact by disability status, race/ethnicity, and intersections between the two. Regression models indicated disparities in in-school police contact. Youth diagnosed with Attention-Deficit or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) reported more contact than their non-disabled counterparts. The few youth in the sample diagnosed with autism reported relatively little police contact. Within-race/ethnicity disparities by ADD/ADHD diagnosis were largest and most robust among Hispanic girls. Black boys diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, compared to Black boys without diagnoses, were more likely to be stopped at school. They also reported more intrusive contact than White boys with ADD/ADHD diagnoses, suggesting they faced risks associated with both their disability and their race/ethnicity. Findings highlight inequalities in police contact among youth – especially youth of color – with disabilities. Given the repercussions of police contact for health, educational attainment, and further interactions with the justice system, policing may exacerbate inequalities between youth with and without disabilities.
- Creation Date
- 2022-03
- Section URL ID
- Paper Number
- WP22-01-FF
- URL
- https://fragilefamilies.princeton.edu/sites/fragilefamilies/files/wp22-01-ff.pdf
- File Function
- Jel
- Keyword(s)
- Police, Law Enforcement, Youth, Disability
- Suppress
- false
- Series
- 8