NCJ Number
180856
Date Published
1996
Length
22 pages
Annotation
The Asian Youth Project collected information pertinent to the well-being of Asian youth in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area using graduation and drop-out rates, juvenile justice data, and the results of a phone survey of 11 agencies that sponsor programs for Asian youth.
Abstract
Findings show that nearly half of the Asian-American population in Minnesota is under the age of 18. Forty-five percent of the Asian-Americans in Minnesota live in the Twin Cities, and most reside in St. Paul. The rate of growth of the Asian-American community has been especially dramatic in the public schools. Asian-American students are doing well in public schools in the Twin Cities; they have higher overall graduation rates than the district averages, and drop-out rates are low compared to other groups. New admissions of Asian-American juveniles into the juvenile justice system have remained at approximately 20 percent since 1987 in St. Paul. Asian-Americans comprised 7.5 percent of those juveniles who had committed three or more crimes in 1995. Asian-American boys are more likely to be chronic offenders, and Asian-American girls are twice as likely as boys to appear in court on a truancy or status offense. The study surveyed 28 programs across 13 agencies and found that 53.6 percent of the programs offered direct services or formal structured program activities. Sixty-eight percent of programs targeted children who were 12 and older. The study recommends an increase in the involvement of schools in culturally appropriate and pride-building activities for Asian youth on site. Further, more research is needed on the incidence of criminal offenses among Asian youth. Also, more programs and activities are needed for Asian children who are younger and not yet in trouble. Finally, a research and lobbying position should be established to ensure that the rights of Asian children in the Twin Cities are being met in the public sector. 3 tables and 5 figures