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The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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court whereas a person without those f<strong>in</strong>ancial resources would not be<br />

able to show the court their ability to respond and therefore, would require<br />

the court’s attention.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Disproportionate</strong> <strong>Overrepresentation</strong> <strong>of</strong> M<strong>in</strong>orities<br />

<strong>The</strong>re appears to be a wide range <strong>of</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ions regard<strong>in</strong>g what factors may account<br />

for the disproportionate overrepresentation <strong>of</strong> m<strong>in</strong>orities <strong>in</strong> secure facilities. <strong>The</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ions<br />

are: not see<strong>in</strong>g it as an issue, blame the m<strong>in</strong>orities themselves, unstable family<br />

environment and deficiencies <strong>in</strong> the juvenile justice system.<br />

Well, I am sure that you are go<strong>in</strong>g to be surprised by the fact that I really<br />

don’t have an op<strong>in</strong>ion on that. I don’t see that as an issue.<br />

Yeah, I th<strong>in</strong>k there is probably race bias <strong>in</strong> the juvenile justice system and<br />

if anyth<strong>in</strong>g, I th<strong>in</strong>k that the race bias at this po<strong>in</strong>t and time is probably<br />

pro—black than it is aga<strong>in</strong>st black. I th<strong>in</strong>k that people are probably more<br />

sensitive to be<strong>in</strong>g called prejudiced and be<strong>in</strong>g called racist and that if we<br />

are do<strong>in</strong>g anyth<strong>in</strong>g we are probably be<strong>in</strong>g more lenient and giv<strong>in</strong>g more<br />

chances to blacks than we are to whites and I th<strong>in</strong>k that goes along with<br />

the whole m<strong>in</strong>ority hir<strong>in</strong>g as well, management has to fill quotas and even<br />

if you are just as well as qualified you probably won’t get it <strong>in</strong>stead <strong>of</strong> the<br />

black. So, I th<strong>in</strong>k that there is reverse prejudice k<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> issues go<strong>in</strong>g on,<br />

sometimes. I believe that they are there, but I don’t believe that they are<br />

significant or blown out <strong>of</strong> proportion but I believe that they are there and<br />

I believe that needs to be recognized. I believe that there are probably<br />

<strong>in</strong>stances where blacks have encountered prejudice as well. I can only<br />

assume that is probably true. But, I don’t th<strong>in</strong>k it is someth<strong>in</strong>g that we<br />

<strong>in</strong>tentionally do here but if you want to talk about the system overall, I<br />

th<strong>in</strong>k that <strong>in</strong> some cases it is true.

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