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NEW MEXICO

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: New Mexico
  • New Mexico has an estimated minority youth population of 62%.
  • In 1997, minority youth made up 81% of commitments to public facilities and 82% of detention placements.
  • Statewide, 169 White youth were in residential placement on October 29, 1997 for every 100,000 youths in the population compared to 905 African-American youth, 498 Hispanic, 220 Native American, and 251 Asian youth.

Source: Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (1999).

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

Richard Lindahl
Juvenile Justice Specialist
New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department
P.O. Box 5160
Santa Fe, NM 87502-5160
Phone: (505) 827-7625
Fax: (505) 827-8408



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