The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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I don’t know. Often, the bottom line for detention is whether or not their
parents will take them or will somebody stick their neck out for them and
they (blacks] have more parents that are fed up.
One thing required for releasing a child from detention is a parent who is
willing and able to supervise. My experience is that I have had more black
parents who have taken a firmer stand with their own kids saying that they
wanted them to stay in detention because they wanted to make an
impression on them. I feel that more black parents tend to be stricter in
wanting something done with the child rather than trying to bail them out
than some of the white parents that we deal with, that could be part of the
reason there.
Another explanation for this finding rests with the current “crack down” on drugs
in Polk county. The juvenile court officers also believed that blacks are more often
suspected of drug charges and this automatically results in detention.
Because we have this new criteria now, blacks have a higher likelihood of
being arrested for possession with intent to deliver. I think that is probably
the system’s way of dealing with a dangerous, dangerous situation. People
get killed over these drug buys. People get poisoned, it’s just not good. I
think that’s its way of trying to squelch some of the crime.
Females Stay in the Community
Another finding is that at judicial disposition females were more likely than males
to remain in the community. Decision makers agreed with this finding. Many felt that,
“there just aren’t enough placements for females.”
The resources are more limited for females.
There are fewer placement resources for females than there are for males.