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The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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Chapter Six<br />

Woodbury County <strong>Youth</strong><br />

<strong>The</strong>re were 154 youth from Woodbury county that participated <strong>in</strong> Phase Two <strong>of</strong><br />

the research. Of those, 104 were self reports and 50 were <strong>in</strong>terviews. <strong>The</strong> self reports<br />

were comprised <strong>of</strong> 64 whites and 40 blacks. Interviews conducted <strong>in</strong> Woodbury county<br />

<strong>in</strong>cluded 27 whites and 23 m<strong>in</strong>orities; 6 blacks, 8 Hispanics and 9 Native American<br />

Indians. Responses from the closed ended questions are presented <strong>in</strong> the Tables at the end<br />

<strong>of</strong> this chapter.<br />

Questions concern<strong>in</strong>g general views <strong>of</strong> discrim<strong>in</strong>ation were asked <strong>of</strong> youth <strong>in</strong> self<br />

reports and <strong>in</strong>terviews, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g general views on society, police, probation <strong>of</strong>ficers,<br />

school, and blame. <strong>Youth</strong> <strong>of</strong> Woodbury county did not express views <strong>of</strong> blatant race<br />

discrim<strong>in</strong>ation. On the other hand, they do have problems with treatment by the police<br />

that can be perceived as unfair. <strong>The</strong>se perceived situations represent subtle forms <strong>of</strong> racial<br />

discrim<strong>in</strong>ation. All youth viewed their probation <strong>of</strong>ficers <strong>in</strong> a positive light and <strong>in</strong>dicated<br />

fair treatment.<br />

General Perceptions<br />

Discrim<strong>in</strong>ation<br />

In this section, youth were asked for their feel<strong>in</strong>gs regard<strong>in</strong>g the extent racial<br />

discrim<strong>in</strong>ation prevails <strong>in</strong> Woodbury county. <strong>The</strong> core questions asked were, “Do you<br />

th<strong>in</strong>k racial discrim<strong>in</strong>ation exists and is discrim<strong>in</strong>ation gett<strong>in</strong>g worse” <strong>The</strong> attitude that<br />

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