¿Dónde Está la Justicia?

A Call to Action on Behalf of the Latino and 
Latina Youth in the U.S Justice System

 

Action Packet

 

Fact Sheet: Juvenile Injustice   Why should you care about juvenile justice? If you are a young person, a youth organizer, or concerned with the problems faced by people of color in this nation, you should care about juvenile justice. Have you ever been wrongfully accused of a crime just for being a person of color? Have you ever been followed in a store or pulled over by the police just because of the color of your skin? You should know the issues and how some laws unfairly impact youth of color. You never know when you or someone you know may have to deal with the system. [The] disparate treatment that minority youth are receiving throughout the juvenile justice system leaves no doubt that we are faced with a very serious national civil rights issue, virtually making our system juvenile injustice. -Hugh Price, National Urban League Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) Latino and Latina youth and African American youth are more likely than white youth to be sent to a secure public facility for drug offenses. They are also more likely to stay for longer periods of time, from 90 up to 160 days more than white youth. Misrepresentation in the Media The media associates violence with youth of color more often than with white youth. A study of Time and Newsweek stories found that the term "young black males" became synonymous with the word "criminal" in coverage. Studies found that crimes by adults against youth are underreported, and the public thinks youth commit more crime than they actually do. Girls in the system Overall delinquency cases involving girls increased by 83% between 1988 and 1997, with an increase in all racial groups: white, 74%; black, 106%, and other races, 102%. Trying Kids as Adults and Children in Adult Jails Youth tried in the adult criminal court face the same penalties as adults, including the death penalty or life without parole; will receive little or no education, mental health treatment or rehabilitative programming, will obtain an adult criminal record which may significantly limit their future education and employment opportunities and are at greater risk of rape, assault and death in adult jails and prisons with adult inmates. Conditions in facilities More than 75% of youth incarcerated nationwide are housed in detention and corrections facilities that violate standards relating to living space. Mental Health Services There are few programs specifically targeting the needs of youth in the juvenile justice system with cultural, racial, gender, sexual orientation or developmental issues. Youth of color are frequently misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. Zero Tolerance New school policies targeted towards suspending and expelling kids from the system for minor circumstances have a negative affect on minority youth. More often than not, the students of color are kicked out of school, making it more likely for them to end up in trouble and in the juvenile justice system.   Educate and Motivate! Now is the Time!