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Hidden Challenges: Juvenile Justice and Education Issues Affecting Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Youth in Richmond, California

NCJ Number
215831
Author(s)
Poonam Juneja
Date Published
2006
Length
72 pages
Annotation
This report is one in a series of reports assessing the status of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) youth in Richmond, CA.
Abstract
The data presented in this report illustrate the status of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) youth in West Contra Costa. The data show that some API ethnic groups cope with multiple issues that compromise their well-being and chances for future success. The demographic and educational data examined indicate that API households in Richmond have a wide range of household incomes and levels of linguistic isolation, while API youth demonstrate a broad scope of academic achievement. Overall, in Richmond, API juveniles had relatively low numbers of total arrests compared to other groups between 1990 and 2003. API youth were generally arrested for more property crimes than all youth, and fewer drug crimes and crimes against the person. The overall critical findings include: (1) disaggregation of data shows differences among API ethnicities; (2) challenges facing API youth are multifaceted; (3) other racial/ethnic groups also face a range of issues; (4) West Contra Costa USD youth struggle in comparison to youth at the county and State levels; (5) Hilltop Mall is a possible area for intervention; (6) significant differences exist in the positions of girls and boys in Richmond; and (7) further research is needed. Concerns of Southeast Asian youth in West Contra Costa County, including youth violence, mental health and drug abuse, prompted organized community action to address these problems. The intent of this report is to provide a detailed assessment of the status of Southeast Asian youth in Richmond. The report contains data from the areas of juvenile justice and education, with relevant demographic data provided for context. Tables, figures, and appendixes A-B