Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) refers to the proportional overrepresentation of minority youth at each step of the juvenile justice system. This book addresses the issue of color-blind racism through an examination of the circular logic used by the juvenile justice system to criminalize non-White youth. Drawing on original data, including interviews with court and probation officers and juvenile self-reports, the authors call for a need to understand racial and ethnic inequality in the juvenile justice system from a structural perspective rather than simply at the level of individual bias. This unique research will contribute to larger discussions on how race operates in the United States.

Disproportionate Minority Contact: Current Issues and Policies focuses on a variety of topics related to minority overrepresentation and disparity in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The goal of this edited volume is to provide an assortment of information on overrepresentation and disparity in one collection. This volume is capable of serving as a standalone text or works well as a supplement to a traditional textbook on race and crime. Likewise, this volume is written in such a way that it is also practical enough for those working in the justice system to use it as a tool for exploring and implementing change in their jurisdiction. For the second edition, nine of the original chapters were revised and three chapters were added. All of the revisions and writing took place after the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. Praise for the First Edition of Disproportionate Minority Contact "Parsons-Pollard has assembled a team of contributors who are experts in the subject matter disproportionate minority contact. She and her colleagues plow into the issues, providing a rich, provocative, well-written, issues-driven text that presents ample material for many courses, including special topics and senior seminars. The importance of the topic, the caliber of the contributors, and the quality of the writing makes this text a must-read for those currently in the field and anyone else who has an interest in criminal justice." --Laura Moriarty, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Monmouth University "Parsons-Pollard and the authors of Disproportionate Minority Contact have made a major contribution to academicians, policy makers, practitioners and community members involved in efforts to reduce the disproportionate representation of youth in the juvenile justice system. They do this in part through the exploration of the research in this area, including the complexities of the Relative Rate Index and analysis of the impact of decision points on disparate treatment and the overall rate of disproportionality. Their investigation, however, does not end there. They lift up the need for the collection of data that will inform this work at the local level and the need for transparency in sharing and analyzing it. Further, they examine the relationship of school policies and the disproportionate representation of children of color in the child welfare system and the need for a cross systems approach to successfully reduce rates of disproportionate minority contact. The picture painted in this thoughtful treatment is one of hope, but also one filled with great challenges; that there are no easy answers or 'low hanging fruit' as we work in this area. The authors make clear, however, that our efforts are absolutely essential in ensuring fairness, equity and full opportunity for youth of color in our society. They are to be commended for shining this bright, illuminating light on such an important social issue." --Shay Bilchik, Founder and Director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University Public Policy Institute "I know of no other source of information on disproportionality in criminal and juvenile justice that is as comprehensive or thorough as this book. It will immediately become the definitive authority on the subject." --Judge Jerrauld C. Jones, Norfolk Circuit Court, 4th Judicial Circuit of Virginia "[Disproportionate Minority Contact] should be an adopted book for 21st century juvenile and criminal justice courses and integrated into course curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate level . . . By reading the book, juvenile and criminal justice students will learn how their role as citizens and professionals can impact DMC [disproportionate minority contact]." -- ACJS Today

This handbook is an up-to-date examination of advances in the fields of juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice that includes interdisciplinary perspectives from leading scholars and practitioners. Examines advances in the fields of juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice with interdisciplinary perspectives from leading scholars and practitioners Provides a current state of both fields, while also assessing where they have been and defining where they should go in years to come Addresses developments in theory, research, and policy, as well as cultural changes and legal shifts Contains summaries of juvenile justice trends from around the world, including the US, the Netherlands, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, and China Covers central issues in the scholarly literature, such as social learning theories, opportunity theories, criminal processing, labeling and deterrence, gangs and crime, community-based sanctions and reentry, victimization, and fear of crime