DMC Factsheet: Ohio

OHIO

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: Ohio

Ohio has an estimated minority youth population of 18%.
In 1997, minority youth comprised 49% of commitments to public facilities and 51% of detention placements.
Statewide, 205 White youth were in residential placement on October 29, 1997 for every 100,000 youths in the population compared to 1,105 African-American youth, 404 Hispanic, 315 American Indian, and 83 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 Ohio's state plan to address disproportionate minority confinement, contact Ohio's state juvenile justice specialist:

Kristi Mason
Juvenile Justice Specialist
Office of Criminal Justice Services
400 East Town Street
Suite 300
Columbus, OH 43215-4242
Phone: (614) 728-8743
Fax: (614) 466-0308

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