The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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Chapter One A Review of Phase One of the Study Two separate but interrelated research studies were conducted over the last three years to address the disproportionate overrepresentation of minorities in secure facilities. The first study or Phase one focused on the examination of case files for the purpose of assessing whether race/ethnicity may influence juvenile court processing and outcomes in four counties in the state of Iowa. Phase two was a follow up to that research with the specific intentions of addressing the following question, “How do juvenile court personnel feel about phase one of the study, the findings, and race bias, in general In this phase of the research, delinquent youth were also asked for their input concerning discrimination and treatment provided by the police and the juvenile court office. In this chapter, the sites, sampling techniques, statistical procedures, and the results from Phase one of the study are discussed. A more detailed presentation of the research is given in technical reports entitled, “Juvenile Justice Decision Making in Iowa: An Analysis of the Influences of Race on Case Processing in Three Counties” and “Juvenile Justice Decision Making in Iowa: An Analysis of the Influence of Race on Case Processing in Scott County”, authored by Michael J. Leiber and prepared for The Office of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning. 1
Research Sites 2 Due to the relatively small number of nonwhites in the state of Iowa, the determining factor for inclusion in the study was the size of the minority youth population residing in a particular county. On the basis of this criterion and available resources, the following four counties were chosen: Black Hawk, Woodbury, Polk, and Scott. Black Hawk County : This county has a total population of 123,798 with persons age 17 and younger comprising 31,402 (Bureau of the Census, 1990). Minority youth comprise 13% of those age 17 and younger, with blacks making up 77% of that figure (Bureau of the Census, 1990). The largest city in the county has a black youth population of 19% (Bureau of the Census, 1990). The juvenile court services in County A handles only those referrals involving delinquent offenses. Woodbury County : This county has a total population of 98,276 with persons age 17 and younger making up 27,579 of that number (Bureau of the Census, 1990). Minority youth comprise 9.36% of those age 17 and younger with blacks making up 21% and Native American Indians 22% of that figure (Bureau of the Census, 1990). The percentage of the minority population comprising Hispanics and Asian youth is 29% and 13%, respectively (Bureau of the Census, 1990). The largest city within the county has a minority youth population similar to that reported for the county. The juvenile court services in Woodbury county handle
Page 1 and 2: The Disproportionate Overrepresenta
Page 3 and 4: The Disproportionate Overrepresenta
Page 5 and 6: Each of the following persons, in a
Page 7 and 8: Race Differences in Processing…
Page 9 and 10: Future Opportunities……………
Page 11 and 12: Crimes………………………
Page 13 and 14: LIST OF TABLES Title Page # Summary
Page 15 and 16: Frequency Distributions of Variable
Page 17 and 18: Definition of Variables Used to Rep
Page 19 and 20: Frequency Distributions of Variable
Page 21: Definitions of Variables Used to Re
Page 25 and 26: was counted as only one referral. T
Page 27 and 28: 6 result of an active policy which
Page 29 and 30: 8 outcomes is as follows: adjudicat
Page 31 and 32: 10 Analysis The analyses followed t
Page 33 and 34: 12 Scott County: At the stage of pe
Page 35 and 36: 14 Table 1. Summary of Research Des
Page 37 and 38: 16 Table 1-continued. _____________
Page 39 and 40: 18 Table 2--Continued. Black Hawk W
Page 41 and 42: Table 3.-continued. 20 Disposition
Page 43 and 44: Table 3.-continued. 22 Disposition
Page 45 and 46: 24 objective of this approach was t
Page 47 and 48: 26 negative light, represented by b
Page 49 and 50: 28 Thus, the decision makers respon
Page 51 and 52: 30 specific county is first present
Page 53 and 54: Table 1. Number of Self-Reports and
Page 55 and 56: 34 in interacting with youth. The e
Page 57 and 58: 36 end up being good and I learned
Page 59 and 60: 38 he is on probation, he knows the
Page 61 and 62: 40 . . . level of supervision and a
Page 63 and 64: 42 For the young black man it is a
Page 65 and 66: 44 (47 percent answered most of the
Page 67 and 68: 46 the result of disproportionate i
Page 69 and 70: 48 court whereas a person without t
Page 71 and 72: 50 and deprivation financially and
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52 referred on to petition. The res
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Blacks/Dropout Placement 54 The sec
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56 of things doesn’t get arrested
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58 I think that traditionally Black
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60 while job and they are contribut
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62 be. If someone has done wrong an
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64 also varied. The two more promin
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66 Table 2. Definition of Variables
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Table 3--continued. 68 Variable Nam
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Table 5--continued. 72 Variable Nam
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Table 5--continued. Variable Name C
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76 Table 7. Frequency Distributions
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Table 10. Definition of Variable Re
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Table 11--continued. Variable Name
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84 Several black youth felt that wh
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86 Some individuals did believe tha
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88 In summary both races felt that
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90 A black male reasoned that black
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92 variation in the responses. A ma
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94 than white. Almost all of t blac
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96 for a probation violation.” A
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98 get to associate with kids and h
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100 “It’s too hard for me. I do
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102 married or nothing like that.
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104 Table 1. Definition of Variable
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Table 2--continued. White Black Var
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108 Table 4. Frequency Distribution
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110 Table 4--continued. White Black
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120 more diversified personnel to a
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122 I have problems with the facili
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124 adhere to, you know, to the cou
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126 laymen, lay people the authorit
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128 called an original gang member.
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opportunity, or do you wait for the
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132 ...there’s things that you di
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134 almost never/never). Thirty-fou
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136 I think that may be apart of it
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138 one-time meeting with this fami
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140 …no differences. I don’t th
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142 of our diversion programs as qu
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144 Q. As an excuse for why they co
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146 blacks were released while olde
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148 not be cooperative, it limits y
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150 Indian Youth of America is very
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Blacks, Native American Indians Les
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154 Overall, most of the decision m
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156 same schools in Sioux City. The
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158 A. Well, they’re living in Si
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160 A. Yeah, I think so. I think th
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162 ideological position is evident
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Table 1. Distributions of Decision
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Table 3--continued 168 Variable Nam
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Page 193 and 194:
Table 5-continued. 172 Variable Nam
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Table 8. Definition of Variables Re
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Table 10. Definition of Variables R
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Table 11-continued. 178 Variable Na
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Chapter Six Woodbury County Youth T
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182 Q: Do you feel racial discrimin
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improving. There was one twelve yea
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186 Q: Do you feel racial discrimin
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188 Q: Do you feel that a black per
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190 In the interviews, half of the
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192 Trust The question asked in thi
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194 According to the Hispanic youth
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196 he always yells at the black ki
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(58 percent of the whites, 55 perce
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200 Q: Now, tell me why. A: Cause i
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202 Q: You mean of physical harm or
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204 have a lot of respect for the p
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Perceptions of Probation Officers 2
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208 blacks (Tables 5, 6). Generally
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210 Black youth He’s nice. He tal
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212 The first black youth believed
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214 because the teacher would not l
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216 and go to the principal’s off
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218 The youth have taken into consi
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Table 2-continued. White Black Vari
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226 Table 4-continued White Black V
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230 Table 6-continued. White Black
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236 Perceived Role of the Court and
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238 There is extremely more paperwo
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As in the responses to the closed e
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242 getting the support from the pa
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244 They seem to want to turn the k
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246 crime. There are some officers,
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Police 248 In response to the close
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250 tend to be drawn to gang activi
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252 Blacks and Detention The first
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254 The problem is availability. Th
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256 the percentages. I don’t know
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258 Table 1. Distributions of Decis
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Table 6. Definition of Variables Re
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274 Table 11. Frequency Distributio
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Chapter Eight YOUTH POLK COUNTY The
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278 ...because of the last past thi
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280 equal opportunity; yet, youth w
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282 The trend in the interviews, fo
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284 in the minority. Racism is indi
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286 could single out a group that t
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288 I think it is because they are
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290 could trust the police, there w
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292 View of Probation Officer In th
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294 and he spoke out against me, ma
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296 Some of those blacks who did co
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Summary 298 In general, most of the
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Page 327 and 328:
Page 329 and 330:
Table 4-continued. White Black Vari
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Page 333 and 334:
Page 335 and 336:
Page 337 and 338:
Charter Nine Adult Decision Makers
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316 from becoming recidivists and
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318 The paperwork. I think I do my
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320 By reading through the intervie
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322 difference is that youth are no
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324 this country. I don’t think i
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326 I think some of them have to pr
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328 I think they’re about the sam
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330 My feeling is that the most com
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332 The Juvenile Justice System In
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334 I have seen a couple of instanc
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336 The Disproportionate Overrepres
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338 It just goes to show that is al
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340 Race Findings Specific to Study
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342 Blacks Receive Consent Decrees
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344 small minority we are dealing w
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346 In response to the second phase
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348 As a person who hires here, I a
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350 Table 1. Distributions of Decis
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Page 377 and 378:
354 Table 3-continued. Variable Nam
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Page 381 and 382:
Page 383 and 384:
Table 6. Definition of Variable Rep
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Page 387 and 388:
Page 389 and 390:
366 Table 11. Frequency Distributio
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Chapter Ten Youth Scott County Ther
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370 have equal job opportunities (6
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372 concerning opportunities in the
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374 police brutality. One expressed
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376 feel police do not treat everyo
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378 just thinks you’re never goin
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380 The results from the self repor
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382 white youth who reported he wou
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384 When asked whether they regrett
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Page 419 and 420:
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400 Table 8-continued White Black V
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402 asked more general questions th
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404 however, were the dominant them
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406 In all four counties, decision
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408 Recommendations A number of rec
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410 encourage sexual promiscuity, a
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412 decision makers have little exp
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414 resources and rising expectatio
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416 Depending on the county, decisi
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418 family cooperativeness or defic
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420 Table 1. Summary of Themes and
Page 445 and 446:
422 Explanations of Specific Findin
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Bishop, D. and C. Fraz
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