Theorizing sanctioning in a criminalized juvenile court

Recent juvenile justice reforms have produced increasingly complex and crim inal-like approaches to sanctioning youths, yet research to date has not ex amined the full range of newly available sentencing options nor systematica lly drawn on theories of adult sentencing. The present study addresses thes e issues by developing competing hypotheses about the effects of legal, ext ra-legal, and processing factors, as well as sentencing options, in a highl y proceduralized and criminalized juvenile court in Texas. These hypotheses are then tested using quantitative and qualitative data. The results are l argely consistent with derived expectations and do not support arguments th at increased proceduralization and criminalization of juvenile courts will eliminate consideration of age, gender, or race/ethnicity in sentencing dec isions.