We develop empirical tools for studying discrimination in multi-phase systems, and apply them to the setting of foster care placement by child protective services. Leveraging the quasi-random assignment of two sets of decision-makers—initial hotline call screeners and subsequent investigators—we study how unwarranted racial disparities arise and propagate through this system. Using a sample of over 200,000 maltreatment allegations, we find that calls involving Black children are 55% more likely to result in foster care placement than calls involving white children with the same potential for future maltreatment in the home. Call screeners account for up to 19% of this unwarranted disparity, with the remainder due to investigators. Unwarranted disparity is concentrated in cases with potential for future maltreatment, suggesting that white children may be harmed by “under-placement” in high-risk situations.

中文翻译：

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多阶段系统中的歧视：来自儿童保护的证据

我们开发了研究多阶段系统中歧视的实证工具，并将其应用于儿童保护服务的寄养安置环境。利用两组决策者的准随机分配（最初的热线电话筛选员和随后的调查员），我们研究了无根据的种族差异如何通过该系统产生和传播。通过对超过 200,000 起虐待指控的样本分析，我们发现，涉及黑人儿童的电话导致寄养安置的可能性比涉及未来在家庭中遭受同样潜在虐待的白人儿童的电话高出 55%。在这种毫无根据的差异中，电话筛查人员造成的影响高达 19%，其余的则是调查人员造成的。毫无根据的差异集中在未来可能遭受虐待的案件中，这表明白人儿童可能会因高风险情况下的“安置不足”而受到伤害。