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The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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293<br />

A 17 year old black male stated,<br />

I th<strong>in</strong>k he treated me better because I hear it<br />

a lot from his workers and from him that I am<br />

one <strong>of</strong> his best clients.<br />

A 17 year old white male answered,<br />

He kept try<strong>in</strong>g. He didn’t give up. He was try<strong>in</strong>g to f<strong>in</strong>d a way where I<br />

wouldn’t have to go to adult court because he knows that wouldn’t be the<br />

best decision for me.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re were a few who felt probation <strong>of</strong>ficers <strong>in</strong> general are fair and yet do not like<br />

the one they have. Others felt all probation <strong>of</strong>ficers are unfair. A white youth said, “I<br />

don’t th<strong>in</strong>k that either one <strong>of</strong> my POs is straight with me, I don’t th<strong>in</strong>k that anyone is<br />

straight with me up here.” A black youth said it seemed to him like probation <strong>of</strong>ficers<br />

“just decide th<strong>in</strong>gs by how they feel about a person.”<br />

<strong>The</strong>re was one black youth who was openly hostile towards his probation <strong>of</strong>ficer.<br />

This youth ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s he never really talked to his probation <strong>of</strong>ficer. Yet the <strong>of</strong>ficer<br />

recommended him to the court, based on preconceived stereotypes about blacks.<br />

I don’t really know anyth<strong>in</strong>g about him, but I know he acts prejudiced,<br />

acts like he got a grudge aga<strong>in</strong>st black people, from what I know. <strong>The</strong> way<br />

he looks at you and talks aga<strong>in</strong>st you <strong>in</strong> court. He’s your P0. Why’s he<br />

try<strong>in</strong>g to get you locked up If he’s supposed to be your P0 and you<br />

supposed to check <strong>in</strong> with him, he’s supposed to get <strong>in</strong> touch with you. I<br />

haven’t even talked to him. I truly can’t stand that man...My P0 doesn’t<br />

know who I am

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