 | Administrator's Message |
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| Administrator's Message |
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Minority juveniles are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, including secure confinement facilities. This overrepresentation is likely a result of a number of complex factors that command our full attention in order to address the roots of the problem. National statistics on the racial and ethnic makeup of juvenile offenders from arrest, court processing, and confinement that are presented in this Bulletin paint a compelling picture that raises some fundamental questions: Why is the number of minority youth in the juvenile justice system so out of proportion to their representation in the general population? Is the juvenile justice system equipped to provide prevention services, appropriate interventions, and alternatives to secure confinement for all juvenile offenders? The most recent statistics available reveal significant racial and ethnic disparity in the confinement of juvenile offenders. In 1997, minorities made up about one-third of the juvenile population nationwide but accounted for nearly two-thirds of the detained and committed population in secure juvenile facilities. For black juveniles, the disparities were most evident. While black juveniles ages 10 to 17 made up about 15% of the juvenile population, they accounted for 26% of juveniles arrested and 45% of delinquency cases involving detention. About one-third of adjudicated cases involved black youth, yet 40% of juveniles in secure residential placements were black. These are numbers that cannot be ignored. Since 1988, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act has required States that receive Formula Grants program funding to determine whether the proportion of juvenile minorities in confinement exceeds their proportion of the population and, if so, to develop corrective strategies. In 1992, Congress strengthened the national commitment to addressing disproportionate confinement of minority youth in secure facilities by elevating this issue to a "core requirement" of the JJDP Act. OJJDP, in partnership with State Formula Grants program agencies, has taken the lead in building a constituency for change at the national, State, and local levels to develop solutions to disproportionate minority confinement. Disproportionate minority confinement sends a signal that we need to take a closer look at how our society treats minority children, not just those who become offenders. Providing all youth with an equal opportunity to learn, thrive, and achieve at every stage of their lives is the best guarantee of a safe and prosperous future for our Nation.
Shay Bilchik
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