¿Dónde Está la Justicia?

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

 

A comprehensive new report reveals that Latino and Latina youth are over-represented in the U.S. justice system, and receive harsher treatment than White youth for the same types of offenses, while the lack of adequate data nationwide masks the severity of the problem. The report was commissioned by the Building Blocks for Youth initiative, a national campaign to reduce racial disparities in the justice system and promote fair and effective justice policies, and prepared by Francisco Villarruel and Nancy Walker of Michigan State University.

 

Key Findings:

• Latino and Latina youth are significantly over-represented in the U.S. justice system and receive harsher treatment than White youth, even when charged with the same types of offenses;
  

• Current means for collecting and accessing data are inadequate, resulting in under-counting and inaccuracies in reporting disproportionate representation and disparate treatment of Latino and Latina youth in the U.S. justice system;
  

• The system does not provide uniform definitions for the terms Latino and Hispanic;
  

• The system fails to separate ethnicity from race;
  

• The system fails to provide adequate bilingual services to Latino and Latina youth;
  

• The system fails to ensure cultural competency of staff working with Latino and Latina youth;
  

• Consideration of the immigration status of Latino and Latina youth results in incarceration, deportation, and permanent separation from families;
  

• Anti-gang laws result in harsh and unfair consequences for Latino and Latina youth.

 

Major Recommendations:

Public officials, policymakers, and the justice system should:

• Eliminate racial profiling and other policies based explicitly or implicitly on racial or ethnic stereotypes;

• Collect data in a way that accurately counts Latino youth by separating them from White, African-American, and other youth;

• Employ bilingual and culturally competent staff to ensure better services to the Latino community;

• Reduce subjective or biased decision making by creating objective risk assessment instruments.

Latino communities, youth and families should:

• Get organized at a local level to make the justice system accountable to Latino communities and youth;

• Call for the active inclusion of youth voices in policy development and implementation;

• Form Latino advisory groups to guide policymaking and implementation in the law enforcement and justice systems.