Diversity in United States Forensics: A Report on Research Conducted for the American Forensic Association

Abstract

The results of a survey of 227 forensics programs about the level of participation by women and minorities are presented. The results demonstrate that gender equity, as indicated by the approximately 50% participation rates seen for both males and females, is evident. About 25% of the participants in forensics are non-European Americans. The number of minority and women participants increases when diversity is used as a criterion to evaluate programs and formal records are kept. Minority participation rates did not differ when comparing debate, individual events, or mock trial activities. Features like the nature of the academic institution (2 or 4-year; primary teaching or research mission; private or public), source of program funding (endowment, student government, college, department, university), and measures of program success were unrelated to the extent of minority participation.