NCJ Number
135792
Date Published
1990
Length
120 pages
Annotation
This manual represents a key component of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's technical effort to assess the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
The manual is specifically intended to assist State juvenile justice specialists in understanding the issues associated with the disproportionate confinement of minority youth and to provide a step-by-step process for their consideration. It is pointed out that causes and reasons leading to minority overrepresentation differ considerably across jurisdictions. In addition, data sources available to assess the problem vary by location, depending on the type and sophistication of juvenile justice information systems. In the same manner, available resources to combat the problem vary across jurisdictions. The overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system is viewed in relation to environmental factors (social context, economic conditions, and policies enacted to define behaviors of greatest concern and the appropriate nature and level of response to those behaviors). Manual sections address the area of basic problem identification, procedures for determining the existence of disproportionate minority confinement, the need for comprehensive assessment of reasons for the problem, and issues often encountered during the implementation of changes in legislation and policies. A section on program action plans presents a generic planning process for consideration by States in organizing their efforts to reduce disproportionate minority confinement. This section illustrates a 7-step planning process which emphasizes the use of clear, accurate data by a representative planning group as the foundation for developing an action plan. Appendixes contain additional information on the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system, sample program action plan forms, and a bibliography.