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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.
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State Profile: West Virginia · West Virginia
has an estimated minority youth population of 4% African-American and
one percent other racial groups. |
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 West Virginia’s state plan to address disproportionate minority confinement, contact West Virginia’s state juvenile justice specialist:
Angela D. Saunders
Juvenile Justice Specialist
WV Division of Criminal Justice Services
1204 Kanawha Boulevard East
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 558-8814 x220
Fax: (304) 558-0391
Email: Asaunders@wv.dcjs.org