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MISSISSIPPI

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: Mississippi
  • Mississippi has an estimated minority youth population of 47%.
  • In 1997, minority youth accounted for 70% of commitments to public facilities and 62% of secure detention placements.
  • In 1998, minority youth represented 23% of arrests and 70% of transfers to adult court. (Data for secure juvenile detention facilities and secure juvenile correctional facilities not available).

Source: Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (1999) and Minnesota's Three-Year Comprehensive Plan. 2000-2002. Department of Economic Security.

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 Mississippi's state plan to address disproportionate minority confinement, contact Mississippi's state juvenile justice specialist:

Tony Gobar
Juvenile Justice Specialist
Department of Public Safety
Division of Planning
P.O. Box 23039
Jackson, MS 39225-3039
Phone: (601) 359-7882
Fax: (601) 359-7832



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