This study examined whether Black boys are afforded the same assumptions of innocence and protection as other children. Across multiple studies, the authors found that Black boys were consistently judged to be older, less innocent, and more responsible for their actions than White boys of the same age. These biased perceptions were associated with greater support for punitive outcomes and predicted disparities in police use of force. The findings highlight dehumanization as a critical psychological process underlying racial disparities in criminal justice and child protection contexts.