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The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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Chapter Eight<br />

YOUTH POLK COUNTY<br />

<strong>The</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation is based on research done with del<strong>in</strong>quent youth <strong>in</strong><br />

Polk County. A closed ended multiple-choice survey was adm<strong>in</strong>istered to 102 youth (73<br />

whites and 29 blacks). <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation from this survey can be found <strong>in</strong> Tables 1 through<br />

8 at the end <strong>of</strong> the Chapter. Fifty-three youth (30 white and 23 black) were also<br />

<strong>in</strong>terviewed.<br />

<strong>The</strong> youth saw racial prejudices <strong>in</strong> society <strong>in</strong> general, as well as, among police<br />

<strong>of</strong>ficers. <strong>The</strong>y did not feel their probation <strong>of</strong>ficers were biased. While both racial groups<br />

revealed some stereotypes about the other race, these youth seemed to be work<strong>in</strong>g toward<br />

a more accept<strong>in</strong>g attitude <strong>in</strong> race relations.<br />

General Perceptions<br />

<strong>The</strong> youth were asked a set <strong>of</strong> questions about society <strong>in</strong> general. <strong>The</strong>y were<br />

asked questions about the present state <strong>of</strong> discrim<strong>in</strong>ation, discrim<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong> the future,<br />

discrim<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong> the job market, and about their attitudes toward other races. <strong>The</strong> beliefs<br />

<strong>of</strong> both whites and blacks tended to be similar.<br />

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

In general, it appears that both black youth and white youth feel discrim<strong>in</strong>ation is<br />

a problem. Up to 75 percent <strong>of</strong> both groups <strong>in</strong>dicated <strong>in</strong> the survey that discrim<strong>in</strong>ation is<br />

gett<strong>in</strong>g<br />

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