title: Demographics.
abstract: There is a large proportion of minority youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Disproportionate minority contact (DMC) occurs when the proportion of any ethnic group is higher at any given stage in the juvenile justice process than the proportion of this group in the general population. There are several theories explaining the presence and persistence of DMC. This article reviews the history of DMC and the theories and implications of this problem. It discusses several targets for interventions designed to reduce DMC and offer resources in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, Room C8-193, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. Electronic address: agillis@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Artha J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gillis
authors.affiliation: Child Forensic Services, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California Los Angeles, 300 Medical Plaza, Room 1243, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Eraka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bath
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Disproportionate minority confinement; Disproportionate minority contact; Juvenile delinquency; Racial disparities