Final answer:
The statement regarding juveniles in large metropolitan juvenile systems receiving more lenient sentencing is false. Evidence supports that these juveniles, especially minorities, often face harsher penalties, reflecting persistent racial biases in the criminal justice system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to disproportionate minority contact (DMC) in the criminal justice system. It asks which statement about factors contributing to DMC is false:
- A black person under suspicious circumstances is more likely to be arrested even though the police officer knows the charges will be dismissed.
- Black youth receive harsher dispositions when they live in areas with high proportions of whites.
- Juveniles in large metropolitan juvenile systems receive more lenient sentencing.
- If the juvenile offender is black, both black and white citizens were more likely to express a preference to transfer the youth to an adult court.
All of these factors contribute to the phenomenon of DMC, except for the statement that juveniles in large metropolitan juvenile systems receive more lenient sentencing. This statement is false, as literature and evidence suggest that juveniles, particularly those who are minorities, often face more severe penalties, particularly in larger, more bureaucratically complex metropolitan systems. There is considerable evidence indicating that racial biases persist in the criminal justice system, affecting everything from police practices to sentencing decisions.