CAREERS IN LAW FOR MINORITIES - A PUERTO RICAN'S PERSPECTIVE ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN LEGAL EDUCATION

• NCJ Number: 49086
• Journal: Journal of Legal Education Volume: 25 Issue: 4 Dated: (1973) Pages: 447-458
• Author(s): J A CABRANES
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Assoc of American Law Schools
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DEVELOPMENTS IN LEGAL EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY GROUPS ARE DISCUSSED AS THEY RELATE TO PUERTO RICANS IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

Abstract

COMPARED WITH OTHER ETHNIC IMMIGRANT GROUPS, PUERTO RICANS ARE IN AN ANOMALOUS POSITION IN THAT THEY ARE RACIALLY MIXED AND COME TO AMERICA AS CITIZENS ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE A DISTINCTIVE CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC HERITAGE. CENSUS STATISTICS ON PUERTO RICANS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES ARE INCOMPLETE AND INCLUDE ONLY FIRST AND SECOND GENERATIONS. HOWEVER, THESE STATISTICS INDICATE THAT OF ALL RACIAL OR ETHNIC MINORITIES, PUERTO RICANS ARE THE MOST SOCIOECONOMICALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY DEPRIVED GROUP. IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION, PUERTO RICANS ARE DRASTICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED. IN NEW YORK STATE APPROXIMATELY TO PUERTO RICAN LAWYERS SERVE A PUERTO RICAN POPULATION OF OVER 1 MILLION; IN NEW JERSEY THERE ARE ONLY 3 PUERTO RICANS TO REPRESENT OVER 300,000 PUERTO RICAN RESIDENTS. IN 1971, A TOTAL OF 92 PUERTO RICANS WERE ENROLLED IN LAW SCHOOL, A NUMBER GREATER THAN THAT OF ALL PUERTO RICAN LAWYERS IN THE UNITED STATES. ALTHOUGH THE RATE OF GROWTH IN ENROLLMENT RATES APPEARS ENCOURAGING, THE PUERTO RICAN ENROLLMENT GROWTH RATE (33 PERCENT) HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN FOR OTHER MINORITIES; RATES OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS HAVE BEEN 203 PERCENT FOR BLACKS, 408 PERCENT FOR MEXICAN-AMERICANS, AND 356 PERCENT FOR AMERICAN INDIANS. PHILOSOPHICAL, POLITICAL, AND ETHICAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE 'MINORITY' DESIGNATION ARE DISCUSSED, IN ADDITION TO THE GENERALLY DENIGRATING CONNOTATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 'MINORITY' LABEL, LEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR MINORITY GROUPS FACE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT MINORITY PROGRAMS NOT FAVOR ONE SPECIFIC MINORITY GROUP AT THE COST OF ANOTHER. MOREOVER, IN PROVIDING SPECIAL CURRICULA AND PREFERENTIAL ADMISSION STANDARDS FOR MINORITY GROUPS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT UNIVERSITIES NOT OFFER MINORITIES A SECOND RATE AND DEVALUED EDUCATION OR GRADUATE MINORITY STUDENTS WHO WOULD CONSTITUTE A DIFFERENT AND LOWER PROFESSIONAL CLASS. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)