The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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An interesting point that was brought out through the interviews with the decision
makers was that they believe there are definite cultural differences between minorities
and whites. This is probably due to the fact that many of the youth they deal with are
related to each other or are recidivists. Therefore, because many people in the same
family seem to be involved in crime, it is assumed that they all learn it from their family;
they are “taught to commit crime”. However, in reality, this phenomena could be due
indirectly to economic problems. For example, if stealing is the only way for a family to
eat, the family will probably steal, not because they believe stealing is right, but because
they need to eat. The following quotes explain the personnel’s belief that subcultural
values is one reason for the disproportionate overrepresentation of blacks in the juvenile
justice system.
I think that a lot of our re-offenders are black kids that we have already
been working with. I think that sometimes it comes down to a cultural
thing with them and they are trying to establish who they are or it comes
down to the black and white thing and they just allow that unresolved
anger to stay there.
I think that the Hispanic culture seems to take care of each other better or
more so than the other cultures do. But the black culture, I think that
sometimes violence is an accepted norm or accepted way of living and if
they want something and that is their means to get it then that is what they
do. In Scott County, if the black population is only 12%, then they are
going to tend to be more readily apparent to the system.
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that they don’t have money, they
don’t have jobs, they come from single-parent families, the way they are
brought up that it is okay to steal, their role models are terrible, kids learn
all of that behavior and they learn it at home and that is why we have a
problem.