The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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seem to me like they don’t want to work with the family.” Another black offers a solution
to the same concern, “I would punish them at home and not in some other place where
you can’t see their parents at that young age.”
The white youth had opposite views than the blacks on the strictness of the
juvenile court. Whites believed the court was too lenient. One youth stated, “They were
easy on me and I did it again! They need to be more strict.” The whites did not worry as
much about the family as blacks. There were a few from both races that felt there were no
problems.
Overall, both races seemed to have positive attitudes toward their probation
officers. Like in the police section, however, the desire to become a probation officer is
not present.
Views of School
Educational Ambitions
The vast majority of blacks not only expressed a desire to go on to college, but
wanted to enter fields that are predominantly white. One black stated, “I want to go to
college. . . into law to be a lawyer.” Another expressed a desire to pursue a career in
medicine, “I want to finish school and go on to college to be a cardiologist.” Yet another
expressed his desire to be an engineer. There were only a few who did not see college as
an option in the future.
The whites varied on their responses. Some would like to pursue a college degree;
others would not like to pursue a college degree; while still some did not know. One