Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RED)
In 1974, to address inconsistencies and improve outcomes for youth and community safety, Congress passed the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and changed the way states approached juvenile justice. States like North Carolina that participate in the JJDPA and meet compliance requirements are eligible for federal funding through grants administered by OJJDP. Participation in the JJDPA links North Carolina with federal regulations addressing racial and ethnic disparities in the state juvenile justice system.
On Dec. 21, 2018, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018 was signed into law, amending the JJDPA after years of collaborative efforts among juvenile justice organizations and advocates across the United States. The JJRA changed the JJDPA core requirement from “disproportionate minority contact” to “racial and ethnic disparities.” Pursuant to the JJDPA, states and territories must ”implement policy, practice, and system improvement strategies at the state, territorial, local, and tribal levels, as applicable, to identify and reduce racial and ethnic disparities among youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system, without establishing or requiring numerical standards or quotas.”
The JJDP Act has four core requirements:
- Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders;
- Sight and Sound Separation;
- Adult Jail and Lockup Removal; and
- Identify and Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities.
For additional information on racial and ethnic disparities in juvenile justice, please contact Racial & Ethnic Disparities Coordinator Crystal Wynn-Lewis at 919-324-6403.