Justice in Black and Brown: The impact of political control <scp>and</scp> representative bureaucracy on street level outcomes

This study tests the explanatory power of two prominent public administration theories—political control and representative bureaucracy—in understanding disparities in service provision. While prior research focused on street-level bureaucracy, we here how political group identities top elected law enforcement officials affect distribution youth arrests, alternatives, prosecutions among minority groups. Data from Florida's 67 counties between 2015 2020 demonstrate that sheriff's state attorney's party affiliation, race, ethnicity do outcomes. However, effects are more pronounced for race than ideology. Also, bureaucracy appears relevant explains behavior Black sheriffs but not attorneys.