Racial/Ethnic Bias in Pediatric Care and the Criminalization of Poverty and Race/Ethnicity

The criminalization of poverty and race/ethnicity is ubiquitous and multifaceted in US society. More than 16% of children were living below the federal poverty level in 2018 according to the latest government statistics; they are the poorest age group in our country. In contrast, the poverty rate for older adults is less than 10%. The intersectionality of poverty and race/ethnicity is a fact of life, with 32% of black children (and 31% of Native American children and 26% of Latinx children) living in poverty vs 11% of white children. Therefore, criminalizing poverty places a much greater burden of harm on children of color.
Source: JAMA Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research