CONNECTICUT
Disproportionate Minority Confinement
What is Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC)? Under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), disproportionate minority confinement (DMC) exists when the proportion of youths detained or confined in secure detention facilities, secure correctional facilities, jails and lockups who are members of minority groups exceed their groups' proportions in the general population.
How widespread is DMC? In virtually every state, at every stage of the juvenile justice system, youth of color are overrepresented and receive disparate treatment, particularly in secure confinement.
State Profile: Connecticut
- Connecticut has an estimated minority youth population of 26%.
- In 1997, minority youth comprised 83% of commitments to public facilities and 77% of detention placements.
- Statewide, 160 White youth were in residential placement on October 29, 1997 for every 100,000 youths in the population compared to 2,225 African-American youth, 1,276 Hispanic, and 90 Asian youth.
- In 1998, youth transfers to adult court revealed that African-American and Hispanic youth were more likely to be detained until disposition (African-American, 35%; Hispanic, 54%; and White, 13%) and receive jail or prison time from the adult court (African-American, 54%; Hispanic, 38%; and White, 14%).
Source: Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (1999) and A Reassessment of Minority Overrepresentation in Connecticut's Juvenile Justice System. Spectrum Associates Market Research (2001).
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What must states do to comply with the DMC mandate? Current law directs states to identify the extent to which disproportionate minority confinement exists, to assess the reason that it exists and to develop intervention strategies to address the causes for disproportionate minority confinement. The law does not require, and has never resulted in, the release of any youths from custody based on race, nor has it required numerical quotas for arrests. No state's funding under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act has ever been reduced as a result of noncompliance with this provision.
Contact Information: To provide comments or obtain additional information on Connecticut's state plan to address disproportionate minority confinement, contact Connecticut's state juvenile justice specialist:
Gary Lukasewski
Juvenile Justice Specialist
Office of Policy and Management
450 Capitol Avenue, MS 52 CPD
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 418-6320
Fax: (860) 418-6496
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