Here are a few ideas for Latino and Latina
parents to take action now to eliminate the disparate treatment of
Latino and Latina youth in the justice system:
Find out what’s happening to youth in the
justice system
Become knowledgeable about the disparate
treatment of Latino and Latina youth in the justice system in your
community.
Ask for information on parents’ rights
Contact juvenile justice advocates, attorneys
and justice system personnel to obtain information on the rights of
parents’ of youth in the justice system. Find out if a parents’
rights manual is available in your community and if it is in Spanish. If
a parents’ rights manual doesn’t exist or isn’t available in
Spanish, work with advocates, attorneys and justice system personnel to
write and/or translate a manual.
Talk to other parents
Contact other parents and share what you’ve
learned with other parents.
Organize parents to take action
Organize collectively through schools and
faith-based organizations.
Reach out to your community
Hold neighborhood gatherings to discuss action
plans for addressing the problems faced by Latino and Latina youth.
Document progress as action plans are implemented.
Speak out
Become vocal advocates for Latino and Latina
youth in the system.
Involve Latino-serving organizations
Contact local, regional, and national
Latino-serving organizations to work with you.
Initiate parent support groups
Develop support groups for parents and families
impacted by the juvenile justice system and workshops on topics such as
how the system works, legal rights of youth and parents, and use of
interpreters. Include parents and youth who have been impacted by the
system. Develop public service announcements (PSAs) for Latino parents
and air them on radio and television programs to encourage their
participation.
Call on federal, state and local public
officials
Call on the justice system for clear, complete
and consistent information on referral, program and placement
alternatives, legal proceedings, and agency procedures. Request that
these materials be provided in the family’s preferred language, or
that a translator be made available, particularly at each court
appearance.
