NEWS RELEASE CONGRESSMAN CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ 323 Cannon House Office Building * Washington, D.C. 20515
Sean Foertsch	202-225-1640
	www.house.gov/rodriguez

CONGRESSMAN RODRIGUEZ OUTRAGED AT DISPARITIES IN THE TREATMENT OF HISPANIC YOUTH IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

 

 

July 18, 2002

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez expressed his outrage and disappointment about the treatment of Hispanic youth in light of a report released today by The Building Blocks for Youth Initiative. The report, "¿Donde Está la Justicia? A Call to Action on Behalf of Latino and Latina Youth in the U.S. Justice System," exposes growing disparities in the treatment of Hispanic youth in the criminal justice system. Inadequate data collection efforts and the lack of bilingual services are highlighted as two principal causes of this disparity.

"This report confirms what we've long suspected: Hispanic youths do not get fair treatment by the justice system," said Congressman Rodriguez. "They are more likely to get arrested, more likely to get prosecuted, and more likely to serve a longer sentence, when compared with Anglo youth committing the same crimes."

"The report makes clear that we need to improve our data collection so that we can better identify Hispanic youths and address the difficulties they encounter. We also need to improve bilingual services and training in cultural competency to reduce mistakes and misunderstandings."

The report points out that the initial inequities in treatment of Latino youth are further compounded by later inequities. For example, in Los Angeles between 1996 and 1998, Latino youth were not only arrested 2.3 times as often as non-Hispanic white youth, they were also prosecuted 2.4 times as often as non-Hispanic white youth, and imprisoned 7.3 times as often. They are equally disadvantaged by the lack of a culturally sensitive environment and inadequate bilingual resources.

The report further points out that the true magnitude of these disparities is masked by the fact that many states do not have separate and accurate data on Latino youth. "¿Donde Está la Justicia?" calls on the juvenile justice system to collect data in a way that accurately counts Latino youth by classifying them as a separate group.

"Crimes should be prosecuted, but when we do so in an unfair or discriminatory manner, we undermine the foundations of our justice system," added Congressman Rodriguez. "When I walk past the Supreme Court building and see the words 'Equal Justice Under Law' I take them seriously. We need to make those words a reality for Hispanic youth in America."