How would a JJ P&A address Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)?
• Disproportionate Minority Contact with the JJ system. DMC was recognized in the 1988 amendments to the JJDPA, and became a core focus of the Act in 1992. In 1997, youth of color made up approximately one third of the juvenile population nationwide but accounted for almost two-thirds of the population in secure juvenile facilities. • The intersection between DMC and the Overrepresentation of Youth with Disabilities (OYD) in the JJ system . If 70 % of youth in JJ facilities have disabilities and 75 % are youth of color, there undoubtedly is a significant overlap between these two groups. Efforts to reduce the unnecessary overrepresentation of youth with disabilities will inevitably also address DMC. • The link between discrimination and mental health disorders . There is evidence that racial and ethnic discrimination increases the odds that youth will develop mental health problems. A recent study found a strong link between perceived racism and mental disorders in children. • Minority
