Over-Representation of Minority Youth in the Juvenile System: Options and Opportunities for Action (From Partnerships for Building Safer Communities: Best Practices and Promising Approaches, Conference Papers of the National TASC 8th Conference on Drugs and Crime, P 125-149, 2001)

• NCJ Number: 191659
• Author(s): Ceilia E. Mascarenas
• Date Published: October 2001
• Length: 26 pages
• Sale Source: National TASC (Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities)
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: See NCJ-191657-58 for additional conference papers.

Annotation

This conference paper presented at the 2001 Eighth National TASC Conference on Drugs and Crime in Orlando, Florida, provides an overview of Federal and State mandates and efforts in over-representation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system.

Abstract

An overview of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (as amended 1992), Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) Requirement is presented with specific information including: DMC process and lessons learned and intervention strategies used to address DMC. On the State level, the Colorado Coalition for Minority Youth Equality is presented, providing specific information on its' mission, goals, minority confinement index matrix-phase I and II, and strategies on reducing the numbers of minority groups arrested and confined. In addition, the Arizona Building Blocks Initiative is presented which is a comprehensive effort to protect minority youth in the juvenile justice system and promote rational and effective policies. The initiative consists of five components: (1) conducting new research; (2) analyzing decision-making in the system; (3) advocating for minority; (4) building constituencies for change; and (5) developing communication strategies.