Photo by circulating, via Flickr.

African-American youth in Charlottesville, VA are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system as compared to their white counterparts, found a new study out of the University of Virginia.

African-American youth were 1½ times more likely to be placed on probation compared to Caucasian youth. They were also more likely to go to detention, and less likely to be diverted out of the system than their white counterparts, according to the study conducted by the Task Force on Race Disparity and Disproportionality in Youth Services convened by the Charlottesville/Albemarle Commission on Children and Families. 

The study offers several recommendations for addressing the disparity focused on the juvenile justice system as well as suggesting changes to child welfare practices, physical health and mental health services.

Read the full report here.