Examining Race and Sex Disparities in Juvenile Mental Health and Drug Courts in Texas

Abstract

Research is mixed regarding the effectiveness of juvenile drug courts. Fewer studies examine race and sex disparities in these programs and even fewer studies examine juvenile mental health courts. We examined the interaction effect of race and sex on graduation from Texas juvenile drug and mental health courts. Data encompass 1,037 youth and results indicate that race did not moderate the effect of sex on graduation rates; we did find some evidence of significant variation between sub-groups. White boys were more likely to graduate compared to Hispanic boys while for girls, both White and Hispanic girls were more likely to graduate compared to Black girls. Findings indicate the need for more research regarding other factors that may impact success.