NCJ Number
202624
Date Published
2003
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This report presents a review of the work done in one Oregon jurisdiction that has succeeded in reducing its minority youth detention population among youth detained pre-trial.
Abstract
Disproportionate minority confinement in juvenile detention facilities around the country has been a problem plaguing juvenile justice systems for years. In 30 out of 50 States in 1997, youthful minority offenders represented the majority of youth in detention, even in States with very small ethnic and racial minority populations. As such, recent initiatives have worked to reduce the overrepresentation of minorities in juvenile detention. The report focuses on the success enjoyed by Oregon's reform efforts in Multnomah County and highlights their national significance. After defining the problem of disproportionate minority confinement in juvenile detention, the report offers five reasons why youth of color are disproportionately detained. These reasons include the fact that White youth often have access to better legal representation and community services and programs. The strategies implemented by Multnomah County to reduce their minority detention population are recounted and include the use of objective admissions screening instruments, enhanced alternatives to detention, and reduced lengths of stay in detention. Major factors contributing to the disproportionate number of youthful minorities held in detention in this county were its detention processing and police referral policies. Reform strategies in Multnomah County were data-driven and were focused on detention reform strategies such as ensuring alternatives to detention were accessible to youth of color. The outcomes of this detention reform was a drop in both the numbers of youth held in detention and a drop in the proportion of minority youth held in detention in this county. Figures, endnotes