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¿Dónde está la justicia?
A call to action on behalf of Latino and Latina youth in the U.S. justice system
Francisco A. VillarruelNancy E. WalkerwithPamela MinifeeOmara Rivera-VázquezSusan PetersonKristen Perry
Institute for Children, Youth, and Families
Building Blocks for Youth
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..............................................................................................................................12. Summary of Key Findings........................................................................................................13. Purposes of This Report..........................................................................................................114. Contexts.................................................................................................................................13A. Latino/Hispanic race and ethnicity...........................................................................................13B. Changing Latino demographics in the United States.................................................................14C. Over-representation, disproportionate confinement, and racial and ethnic disparities in treatmentof youth of color..........................................................................................................................175. Study Methodology................................................................................................................23Survey of selected states...............................................................................................................23Other data sources........................................................................................................................256. Findings.................................................................................................................................27
Finding 1
Latino/a youth are significantly over-represented in the U.S. justice system and receiveharsher treatment than White youth, even when charged with the same offenses............................27
Finding 2
Current means for collecting and accessing data are inadequate, resulting in undercountingand inaccuracies in reporting disproportionate representation and disparate treatment of Latino/ayouth in the U.S. justice system....................................................................................................38
Finding 3
The system does not provide uniform definitions for the terms
Latino
and
Hispanic
......45
Finding 4
The system fails to separate ethnicity from race............................................................46
Finding 5
The system fails to provide adequate bilingual services to Latino/a youth .....................49
Finding 6
The system fails to ensure cultural competency of staff working with Latino/a youth ....53
Finding 7
Consideration of the immigration status of Latino/a youth sometimes results in deportationof youth and permanent separation from families..........................................................................56
Finding 8
Anti-gang laws result in unfair consequences for Latino/a youth...................................607. Promising Approaches............................................................................................................67Santa Cruz County, California......................................................................................................67Multnomah County, Oregon.........................................................................................................69
8. Recommendations for Action..................................................................................................73What can Latino communities do?................................................................................................73What can Latino/a youth do?........................................................................................................74What can Latino/a parents do?......................................................................................................75What can law enforcement do?.....................................................................................................75What can the justice system do?...................................................................................................76What can advocates and grassroots organizers do?........................................................................78What can public officials and policy makers do?...........................................................................79What can researchers do?.............................................................................................................809. Additional Resources..............................................................................................................81National.......................................................................................................................................81State............................................................................................................................................8410. Acknowledgements................................................................................................................8911. References..............................................................................................................................93 APPENDICESAppendix A Top Ten States for Latino Population (2000).............................................................99Appendix B Top Ten Cities for Latino Population (2000)............................................................103Appendix C Glossary of Terms...................................................................................................104Appendix D Survey Letter of Invitation and Consent Form..........................................................107Appendix E Survey Categories and Questions.............................................................................111Appendix F Other Data Sources for This Report..........................................................................113Appendix G How States Waive Juveniles to Adult Court.............................................................114Appendix H Sample Non-Cooperation Agreement.......................................................................116Appendix I Differences Between the Juvenile Justice and Adult Criminal Justice Systems...........117
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