Overrepresentation of children of color in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems has been statistically proven in various studies over the years. Though this fact has been generally accepted and effort has been made to reduce disproportionality within both systems, much work remains to be done. In March 2008, a symposium titled “The Overrepresentation of Children of Color in America’s Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System,” hosted by CJJR and the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, brought together experts in the field to discuss the obstacles and successes they had experienced. This compendium, completed after the proceedings of the symposium, includes four articles that establish a common language to describe the various problems associated with this overrepresentation and make recommendations for the future. A framework for intervention strategies is provided, and initiatives are identified to illustrate what is being done to address this issue.
Population of focus: Children of color in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems
Links to resource:
Date: 2009
Organization: Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago