Criminal Justice and School Sanctions Against Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Youth

The study examines teen sexual orientation and punishment and finds that gay, lesbian and bisexual teenagers are 1.2 to 3 times more likely to be punished by schools and courts than their straight peers.

Researchers asked teenagers about minor transgressions and nonviolent misbehaviors like running away, lying to parents, experimenting with alcohol, shoplifting and vandalism. They then asked questions about school expulsions, police stops, arrests and convictions. Overall, teenagers who self-identified as gay, lesbian and bisexual were about 1.2 to 3 times more likely to experience punishment for a nonviolent misbehavior. Girls, in particular, experienced 50 percent more police stops than their straight peers for minor transgressions.

The study, published in December 2010 by Pediatrics, followed 15,000 middle and high school students. About 1,500 of the participants self-identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual, but more than 2,300 reported having felt a same-sex attraction at some point in their lives.

Read the report.