Juvenile Justice System - A Research Paper on How It Affects the Hispanic Community (From Report From the National Hispanic Conference on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, P 451-474, 1981 - See NCJ-78060)

• NCJ Number: 78072
• Author(s): M Duran
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Microfiche version of the document is under NCJ-78060.

Annotation

Hispanic community members' attitudes which are nurtured by interaction with the juvenile justice system are described, and recommendations for juvenile delinquency prevention, rehabilitation, and after-care are offered.

Abstract

Hispanics generally view the police as intimidating occupying forces in their communities. Police encounters are regularly hostile, harassing, and demeaning, as viewed and experienced by Hispanics. Hispanic teenagers are brought up to distrust the motive of all aspects of the criminal justice system. Criminal justice interventions are seen to result in disruption of families, detention prior to determination of guilt because of lack of bail money, financial debt, loss of jobs, unfair dispositions by the courts, and generally oppressive and discriminatory treatment. Hispanics see themselves as being blamed for the treatment they receive from representatives of the dominant culture. The stereotype of an inferior, deviant, incompetent underclass perpetuates itself as a justification for how Hispanics are treated by the institutions and representatives of normative society. The juvenile justice system is largely reactive in its interaction with the Hispanic community. After problems of deviancy have spawned law violations, the juvenile justice system intervenes largely as a punitive system to increase alienation between Hispanics and normative society. Well-funded and properly trained and supervised personnel are needed to work with Hispanic youth to help mold constructive attitudes and behavior that will help them break the underclass cycle. In addition, when a Hispanic youth does contact the criminal justice system, persons trained in understanding and sensitivity of Hispanics' needs should supervise programs that prepare them to adopt more constructive behavior in the community. Furthermore, intensive aftercare programs in the community should provide ongoing support and guidance. Specific recommendations in these areas are offered, and information is provided on juvenile gangs in the Los Angeles County area.