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OJJDP Adds DMC Databook to Statistical Briefing Book

All States participating in OJJDP's Formula Grants Program are required to address the problem of disproportionate minority contact (DMC). DMC refers to the disproportionate number of minority youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system at various decision points (e.g., arrest, referral to juvenile court, detention, placement). To this end, OJJDP has developed and is promoting the use of the DMC Relative Rate Index (RRI) Matrix. At its simplest, the RRI is a means of comparing the rates of juvenile justice contact experienced by different groups of youth.

To provide a better understanding of the RRI, along with an assessment of racial disparity and disparity trends at the national level, OJJDP has released the National Disproportionate Minority Contact Databook. This Web-based tool explains the use of the RRI, shows the national RRIs for the years 1990 to 2004, and provides a written interpretation of racial disparity trends for a large number of decision points within the juvenile justice system. This tool was developed to help States and local jurisdictions properly construct and interpret their local information.

To access the DMC Databook, visit www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/dmcdb.

To view the Statistical Briefing Book, visit: www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/index.html.

2007 Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice Annual Recommendations Report to the President and Congress of the
United States

The 2007 Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice Annual Recommendations Report to the President and Congress of the United States is the committee's fourth annual report and outlines critical concerns and issues identified by FACJJ members and their State Advisory Groups (SAGs). It contains 15 recommendations that illustrate why juvenile justice must remain a national priority and emphasizes the importance of reauthorizing the JJDP Act. The recommendations were developed based on responses from SAGs of 47 States and territories to FACJJ's request for information. These responses were used to identify each respondent's primary juvenile justice concerns. The three major problems identified by the States were disproportionate minority contact, mental health assessment and treatment, and detention reform. (August 2007. NCJ 219500).