Black Stats
Although black youth comprise only 15% of the juvenile population, they make up 26% of juvenile arrests, 44% of the detained population and 58% of youth placed in state correctional facilities.
Language barriers are making it difficult for immigrant parents to advocate for their children during juvenile delinquency cases. But just how to remedy the situation needs more research. With support from Casey, the Vera Institute of Justice is studying the relationship between parents' ability to speak English, their ability to participate in the juvenile justice process and the likelihood of immigrant child being prosecuted for criminal offenses.
Language barriers can contribute to the disproportionate representation of minorities in the juvenile justice system as parents don’t understand what’s expected of them.