Racial Disparity in Probationers’ Views about Probation

Abstract

The current study examined racial disparity in probationers’ views about probation services using survey data from 1,896 probationers in a large county in north Texas. Two multivariate logistic regression models predicting probationers’ views about the helpfulness of the probation department and optimism that their time on probation would help them stay out of trouble were estimated using racial identification and a number of controls as predictors. Racial identification was a significant predictor in both models even after controlling for probationers’ evaluations of probation administration and their relationships with their probation officers. Black probationers were significantly more likely to be dissatisfied with probation services, whereas Hispanic probationers were significantly more likely to be optimistic that their time on probation would help them stay out of trouble, as compared to White probationers. Results from mean tests did not indicate that probationers of different racial identifications differed significantly in their evaluations of probation administration or their relationships with probation officers. Racial disparity in probationers’ views, therefore, was less likely to be related to perceived differential treatment by the probation department and more likely to be related to other factors. Implications for future research are discussed.