Results indicated that African-American youth were rated at a significantly lower risk of violence than were their White counterparts and were also more likely to have several protective factors. Risk factors that were significantly higher among African-Americans included early onset of violence and living in high-crime environments. Protective factors that were significantly higher for African-Americans than for Whites included more prosocial involvement, strong attachments and bonds, and resilient personality traits. The findings have implications for reducing disproportionate minority representation in the juvenile justice system. If low-risk minority youth can be identified prior to a hearing, it may be possible to facilitate their release to programs that capitalize on their protective factors. Participants were 757 youth detained for prehearing assessment in Connecticut. Participants were administered the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth, as well as the Suicidal Ideations Questionnaire, the Drug Abuse Screening Test for Adolescents, the Adolescent Alcohol Involvement Scale, and the Summary Rating of Risk as part of routine assessment for risk and protective factors for violence. Chi-square analysis was performed to analyze the data. Followup research should consider separating juveniles according to length of detention. Tables, figures, references