The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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A black girl said of her probation officer,
She likes me, we go out for ice cream all of the time. When I sell drugs I
tell her. She says that she is going to help me find a job... I am not going to
lie to her about nothing.
Others seem to have good relationships with their probation officers based on
mutual respect. Many feel they can talk to their probation officer. Some even seemed to
consider their probation officer a friend and a role model.
An interesting observation was made by a 13 year old black male when he was
asked if a probation officer should be a role model in society. He said,
Yes, especially if they are black. He [ black P0] is just selling out to the
system. He is a sell out... He is a white man trapped in a black man’s
body.
Other blacks had different reasons for not trusting their probation officer. One
youth felt an apathy towards the entire system, Another did not respect his probation
officer, not because he disliked her, but because he did not care for her position.
Desire to be a Probation Officer
Despite the high esteem most of these youth had for their probation officers, most
of them had no desire to be a probation officer. About 75 percent of both groups showed
absolutely no interest in this occupation (Tables 5, 6).