The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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Oh, I think there’s, there’s always quirks in the code and the standards that
the court must follow. I think that a lot of times a lot of emphasis is placed
upon the court and the court not doing enough but people don’t understand
that the court acts upon rules and guidelines that the code sets down...this
is what the court can do. If the court could do something else, the court
would.
Q. No, I think you’re right. I don’t think people appreciate that...
A. .. .1 think that’s a part of the deterioration of, you know, of our society.
The people don’t, people don’t adhere to standards like that. You know,
where people that are involved with the court have the highest regard for
the court and what it means and what the law means. That, you know, you
see it so much when people come into court just in shorts and it’s no, I
guess it’s the air about it that, you know, the court is a place of dignity and
you’re supposed to be, you know, act appropriately in court. I think a lot
of that’s diminished and along with it the respect for the court and what
the court means. I think that has a lot to do with the effectiveness in court.
Yeah, that’s personally that’s something that, you know, I’ve been brought
up, I think, in a pretty respectable type of setting. I went to parochial
schools and a lot of structure and, you know, respect for people involved
in that setting and I think it just carries along when you respect the court
and what is stands for...
Q. But, you see that other people don’t have that same respect for that
social institution, and maybe other social institutions which is reflected by
their demeanor in court and their attire and all of that and maybe even the
decisions may be the court. They don’t respect that Does that seem to
follow gender lines or race lines Or class lines
A. I think class lines more than anything else, you know, you find, you
know, and that may not even be true. I think, you know, just looking back
at the parents that come to court with probably wearing a tie and dress
shirt, tend to be part of the socioeconomic class that they’re a part of and
also what kind of upbringing what kind of background those parents have,
you know, if you’ve got a pretty sound fundamental family that has some
kind of guidelines and structure, then I think they