Massachusetts Juvenile Justice Data Brief Spotlight on Racial and Ethnic Disparities Fiscal Year 2025

This brief from the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate is one in a three-part series that looks at disparities in Massachusetts’ juvenile legal system related to geography, race/ethnicity, and gender and sexual orientation. This brief “analyzes Massachusetts juvenile justice system data from fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) with each data point presented broken down by race/ethnicity. The data, which is presented by key data takeaway,1 highlights how similarly situated youth may experience the juvenile justice system differently depending on their race/ethnicity.”

From the conclusion: “Overall, FY25 data shows that a Black and Latino youth experience the state’s juvenile justice
system differently than white youth in consequential ways. These findings underscore the importance of a continued need for local, county, and state practitioners to review practices to reduce unnecessary system involvement, and ensure youth are treated equitably across the Commonwealth.”