State Sen. Nellie Pou, D-Bergen, Passaic, sponsor of a 2015 law that revised some juvenile justice procedures, said the report makes it clear there is more to do.

“We need to make sure youth have access to prevention,” she said. She said she would look at how funds are allocated and maybe even if a juvenile detention center could be closed and the funds used for community-based programs...

Andrea McChristian, author of the report, said black juveniles were more likely to be arrested and less likely to be diverted to other options, even though they often committed the same types of crimes as other youth.

Youth who were incarcerated also were more likely to end up back in jail compared with those offered community-based alternatives.

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