NCJ Number
83499
Date Published
1981
Length
72 pages
Annotation
A study conducted by the Florida State Commission on Hispanic Affairs reveals the need for the State's criminal justice system to have bilingual capability to effectively deal with the delivery of services to Spanish speaking citizens.
Abstract
The fact that Florida's crime problem has reached crisis proportions provided impetus for the study. The commission believes that it is essential to identify measures which would alleviate the negative impact of crime and the criminal justice system on the substantial Hispanic population. The commission found that the Hispanic population in Florida is neither the most criminally victimized nor the most offensive segment of the population. However, Hispanics do appear to be the least well-represented or involved in criminal justice policymaking and practice. The impact created by new arrivals has systematically worsened existing conditions, particularly in Dade County. A bilingual information campaign designed to inform and educate people regarding their legal rights would improve the State's criminal justice system. Research should be conducted regarding the cultural implications of imprisonment for the Hispanic offender. New research efforts must be directed to the documentation of Hispanic involvement in drug-related offenses and identification of the causes of involvement. Special problems of the Hispanic crime victim should be explored. Although 10 percent of Florida's population is comprised of Hispanics, most criminal justice data still do not reflect information for this ethnic group. Maps are provided.