OKLAHOMA
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: Oklahoma
- Oklahoma has an estimated minority youth population of 25%.
- Minority youth comprised approximately 29% of arrests for status offenses and 33% of arrests for criminal offenses in 1999. Of all minority groups, African-American youth had the highest percentage of all arrests (approx. 38%).
- In 1999, minority youth made up 45% of the youth in Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) custody, 56% of the youth in secure institutions, 53% of the youth in secure detention and 25% of the youth in adult jails.
Source: Three-Year Comprehensive Plan. 2000-2002. Office of Juvenile Affairs.
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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 Oklahoma's state plan to address disproportionate minority confinement, contact Oklahoma's state juvenile justice specialist:
Lisa L. Smith
Juvenile Justice Specialist
Office of Juvenile Affairs
P.O. Box 268812
Oklahoma City, OK 73126-8812
Phone: (405) 530-2914
Fax: (405) 530-2913
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