Juvenile Justice System

LGBTQ youth are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system (JJS), as well as in the child welfare system, and among homeless youth populations. Research points toward complex pathways into and out of the JJS for LGBTQ youth, mediated by factors such as child welfare involvement, the spectrum of family acceptance and rejection, experiences within schools, community-based experiences, and experiences within the JJS itself. Understanding LGBTQ youth’s complex pathways into and out of the JJS should look at this constellation of factors holistically across the lifespan to illuminate the ways in which pipelines or “revolving doors” are created at the intersection of systems. This entry provides an overview of the experiences of LGBTQ youth in the JJS, including rates of incarceration, pathways into the JJS, ...