Striving for equality in the court processing of youth: theoretical applications and empirical studies in Honor of Michael J. Leiber

As guest editors, we approached this special collection with a single objective in mind: how to best celebrate and honor Dr. Michael J. Leiber’s legacy and commitment to equality in juvenile court processing, the juvenile justice system, and issues surrounding juvenile delinquency following his unexpected passing in 2020. We present this special collection across two issues in the Journal of Crime and Justice. Part I includes four articles in Volume 25 (Issue 3), and Part II includes this introduction and three articles in Volume 25 (Issue 4). This compilation, collectively titled ‘Striving for Equality in the Court Processing of Youth: Theoretical Applications and Empirical Studies in Honor of Michael J. Leiber’ is not only an opportunity to highlight Mike’s empirical interests and contributions but most importantly. We hope to encourage through continued research, the furtherance of knowledge to effectively address racial/ethnic and social injustices in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Mike will be remembered not only for his impact as a respected colleague, collaborator, mentor, and friend but, above all, for his distinguished scholarship and career in the field of criminology and juvenile justice. While his research interests ranged to include topics surrounding law and the deprivation of liberty, theories of criminal behavior, and the evaluation of juvenile justice programs, his passion and expertise focused on the impacts of race, ethnicity, and gender on juvenile justice decision-making and delinquency. His life’s work was guided by a desire to see the world become a fairer and more equitable place for all, as evidenced by his unwavering commitment to advancing knowledge and practices that promote social justice. His significant contributions to the advancement of racial/ethnic justice in the field of criminology are broadly recognized. Mike was the recipient of several awards, including the W.E.B. Du Bois Award from the Western Society of Criminology, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Division on People of Color and Crime (American Society of Criminology), the Becky Tatum Excellence Award from the Division of the Minorities and Women Section (Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences), and the Distinguished Research Alumni Award from the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany (SUNY). Mike was a graduate of the University at Albany (SUNY) and held faculty positions at the University of Northern Iowa, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of South Florida (USF), where he served as Chair of the Department of Criminology at USF from 2011 to 2019. He also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Crime and Justice from 2010 to 2019, and most recently, as Co-Editor of Justice Quarterly. His knowledge and expertise led to his contracting as a consultant over the span of 20 years in various capacities for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency (OJJDP). Specifically, he was appointed the Equal Protection Monitor for the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County by DOJ which required bi-yearly evaluations of Juvenile Court data and the production of compliance reports to ensure that mandated reforms were executed. Within OJJDP, he provided training, development, and assessment of tools and programs aimed at reducing minority overrepresentation of youth in the juvenile justice system. Mike also received more than $700,000 in the form of grants, contracts, and fellowships to conduct his research, which is detailed in over 100 publications, including 76 peer-reviewed articles and more than two-dozen government reports. JOURNAL OF CRIME AND JUSTICE 2022, VOL. 45, NO. 4, 403–408 https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2021.2007322