Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Community-Based Arrest and Referral Assessment
|
Principal Investigator (PI) / Project Lead: |
|
|
Funding Organization: |
State of Utah, Utah Board of Juvenile Justice |
|
Award Number: |
196135 |
|
Project Period: |
10/1/2018 – 9/30/2019 |
|
Total Funding: |
$70,793 |
|
Project Status: |
Ended |
Project Description:
Within the area of criminal justice, few issues have generated as much interest and controversy as the relationship between race and ethnicity and crime. Criminal justice decision makers have become concerned with the racial/ethnic disparities that exist in the juvenile justice system and are actively working to understand the issue of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) and to develop efforts to reduce it. Trends in DMC are quantitated by the relative rate index (RRI). This study sought to better understand the longitudinal trends in DMC RRIs in specific jurisdictions across Utah. RRIs compare the rate of contact for White youth to minority youth, after adjusting for the population prevalence of both groups. Seeking to better understand the issue in Utah, the study involved: 1) a review of the current state of the literature; 2) an examination of RRI trends at the arrest and referral points of contact; 3) surveys with law enforcement to explore the meaning of the trends; and 4) interviews with law enforcement and court personnel.
For more information, contact kort.prince@socwk.utah.edu