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MINORITIES AND JUVENILE JUSTICE

NCJ Number
44934
Author(s)
R A ORTIQUE JR
Date Published
1976
Length
0 pages
Annotation
IN THIS AUDIO CASSETTE, A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION ARGUES THAT JUVENILE OFFENDERS BELONGING TO MINORITY GROUPS DO NOT RECEIVE FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
HE ARGUES THAT THE POOR AND POWERLESS ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO INFLEXIBLE 'CURBSTONE JUSTICE' (I.E., POLICE DISCRETION) AND THAT THE POLICE TEND TO EVIDENCE A HIGHLY PREJUDICED ATTITUDE WHEN IT COMES TO DECIDING WHETHER TO ARREST MINORITY JUVENILES OR MERELY SEND THEM HOME WITH A REPRIMAND. SAFEGUARDS AGAINST SUCH STREET-LEVEL DISCRIMINATION ARE FEW. THE PROBLEM WOULD BE ALLEVIATED IF MORE POLICE OFFICERS RESIDED IN THE COMMUNITIES WHICH THEY PATROL, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE RESIDENTS AND PRESSURES OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO COMMUNITY DEMANDS FOR FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT. IT IS FURTHER ARGUED THAT THE PASSAGE OR REPEAL OF CERTAIN LAWS FURTHER EVIDENCE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MINORITY JUVENILES. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT WHITE YOUTH WERE BECOMING INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN AUTO THEFT--AN OFFENSE LONG PURSUED BY MINORITY JUVENILES--LAWS WERE PASSED MAKING IT A CRIME TO LEAVE CARS UNLOCKED OR UNATTENDED WHEN THE KEYS ARE PRESENT. MOVES TO REPEAL OR DECRIMINALIZE MARIHUANA USE ARE A MORE RECENT EXAMPLE; DESPITE LONG-TERM MINORITY MARIHUANA USE, IT WAS NOT UNTIL WHITE JUVENILES BECAME INTERESTED IN THE DRUG THAT REFORM MOVEMENTS BECAME POPULAR. FINALLY, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT MAJOR RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OCCUR DUE TO THE LACK OF BILINGUAL JUVENILE JUSTICE PERSONNEL, AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT COURTS ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A BILINGUAL OR MULTILINGUAL CAPACITY TO BETTER DEAL WITH NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING MINORITY SUSPECTS. (KBL)

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