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Introduction
overrepresentation of the racial minorities. Despite the white race being the largest group in
America, majority of those in the juvenile systems are from other races, demonstrating an effect
of racial and ethnic discrimination in America (Abrams et al., 2021). Even though there have
been efforts to reform the practices and policies to assist in ending racial disparity, the issue has
nevertheless continued to persist. That makes it necessary to identify the best way to bring racial
discrimination and disproportionate minority representation within the American juvenile justice
systems to an end. The racial discrimination is mainly demonstrated through the mistreatment of
the minority groups by the law enforcement or police, demonstrating that the issue is systematic
(St John et al., 2020). The issue of racial discrimination which lead to the disproportionate
representation of the minority groups within the juvenile justice systems is also perpetuated by
economic and social factors. The problem mainly affects three minority groups in America,
including the Native American youth, the Hispanics, and the African American population. Even
though the three minority groups combined forms minimal portion of the American population,
they bear the disproportionate brunt of those facing the juvenile justice systems in America
(Padgaonkar et al., 2021). These three minority groups face increased rates of imprisonment,
detention, and arrest compared to the majority white. The disparities highlight the wider societal
inequalities, prolonged by the structural injustice and historical discrimination which promotes
the idea that some races are more important than others. That has continued to be a huge issue
since the effect if disproportionate representation f the minority groups go beyond the
experiences of the detained and the incarcerated persons, it affects the communities from which
such individuals come from (Padgaonkar et al., 2021). For instance, it encourages extended
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cycles of trauma and poverty, leaving the communities and family members is wore situation
every day (St John et al., 2020). The aim f this paper is to highlight the dynamics of
disproportionate minority representation within the American juvenile justice systems, essential
in identifying strategies for enhancing equitable reform that take the interest of the minority
groups into account. This paper uses a social work-based theory, the critical race theory to
interrogate the link between race, power, and class in the juvenile justice system to gain better
insights to develop and evaluate interventions and their significance in promoting justice and
Problem Definition
The unfair confinement of the minority groups in America presents a huge challenge. It
demonstrates the level of racism, despite the centuries long efforts to end unequal treatment of
members of different races and ethnic groups in America (Nayak, 2022). The increased detention
and incarceration of the minority groups extends beyond the judicial proceedings and the
boundaries of law enforcement, indicating that without proper solution the issue is likely to grow
to a much bigger problem in the future (St John et al., 2020). That s true since the high disparity
between the minority groups and the white majority groups in America can be demonstrated
through the different domains, including the access to essential resources like housing,
employment, and education. The poor access to education, housing, and employment among the
minority groups leave their juveniles at higher risk of engaging in activities that may make them
go to the juvenile justice systems. the disproportionate representation of the minority groups is
therefore caused by the poor intersection of factors like poverty, lack of mental health support,
and early exposure to violence, leaving the young children more exposed to incarceration and
detention in the juvenile justice systems in America. The problem in promoted by decades and
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centuries of racial segregation, leaving the minority groups at higher risk of committing crimes
that may make them face the law. It is, therefore, necessary to address the root causes of the
problem as the best way of ensuring the incarceration rates among the minority groups in
America is kept at its lowest at all times (Abrams et al., 2021). That is important since it would
lower the impact on the minority communities by bring to an end the continued marginalization
and the problems with the law systems in America. It is therefore necessary to develop solutions
that rip to pieces the barriers to opportunities for the minority groups by investing in the minority
populations and incarcerating culturally based interventions, essential in enabling the solve the
injustices faced by the minority groups within the juvenile justice systems in America.
Theoretical Framework
This paper employs social work based theoretical framework to help in developing long
lasting solutions to the unequal minority confinement within the American juvenile justice
systems. Employing a social work-based framework is significant in this paper since offers
effective guidance for practice, making it easy to develop solutions that are backed by research.
Social work-based framework enables policy and practice practitioners to take time in
identifying and comprehending the complex nature of specific social issues and how they may
have been perpetuated in the past systematically (Harms & Connolly, 2023). It also enables
social change and advocacy, essential in developing a critical lens to analyse the social issue
This paper specifically employs the Critical Race Theory as the social work-based
theoretical framework. The theory provides a healthy analytical lens, making it easy to
understand the root cause of the disproportionate minority representation in the juvenile justice
systems in America (Brazant, 2023). It is important in exploring and identifying the influence of
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structural inequalities and racism on the experience of the minority groups in America, which
also happen to be some of the root causes of the unequal representation of the minority groups
within the American juvenile systems. The theory identifies that there is an intersection between
race, privilege, and power in informing the rate of incarceration of the minority groups in
America (Brazant, 2023). It is therefore important in shedding light on the systematic racial
change systematically.
Critical Race Theory suggests that racism, demonstrated through unequal representation
in the juvenile justice system, is rooted within the justice institutions and societal structures in
America. It demonstrates that developing a lasting solution must involve the wider society
including the government, business owners, those running the justice systems, and the local
communities (Nayak, 2022). The theory indicates that racial bias has always existed at every
level of the American society, ranging from the practices of the law enforcement officers to the
decision-making process within the judicial systems. That justifies why the previous efforts to
end racial discrimination in America has bore no fruit since the strategies did not emphasize on
the need to involve all the stakeholders. This theory focuses on the experiences of marginalized
groups, in this case, the native American youth, Hispanics, and the Arican Americans. It
The Critical Race Theory also demonstrates that privilege and power play a significant
role in promoting the disparities in the unequal representation of the minority groups in America.
It suggests that to effectively develop and implement solutions addressing the racial
discrimination, those on power and the privileged members of the American society must be
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willing to take the leadership role in promoting the equality among all members of the society
(Ramírez, 2021). It shows that involving the privileged and those in power is important since
they have large number of followers, making it easy for them to convince the public to be art of
the solution to the huge problem affecting a significant number of the society. The theory
suggests that addressing the problem should involve the examination of power distribution
within the juvenile justice system (Serrant, 2020). That is important in identifying those whose
interest are served by overrepresenting the minority groups within the juvenile justice systems in
America. The theory indicates that understanding the distribution of power and power interest
would be significant in changing and improving the existing policies and practices that tend to
exploit the minority groups. That is also important in identifying the minority groups whose
voices are not included in relevant decision-making processes such as the process of developing
and improving relevant policies and practices. For instance, the theory suggests that need to
include minority groups representatives when developing and improving the policies and
complications within the unequal confinement of the minority groups in America. It shows how
the factors of social identities, class, gender, and race informs how some groups are treated
within the American society (Drake & Hodge, 2022). For instance, based on the current justice
the minority groups works together in shaping the experiences of individual members of the
minority groups in America. A good example is where female juveniles from black community
my face more discrimination within the judicial subsystems since they are likely to face gender
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and race-based discriminations, putting such girls at higher risk of being disproportionately
comprehensive approach to the problem. It suggests that the solution to the racial discrimination
issue and the disproportionate representation of the minority groups within the American juvenile
justice systems must focus on the experiences of the minority groups who are discriminated
against (Serrant, 2020). It suggests the need to acknowledge that social identifies drives the
unequal representation of the minority groups within the juvenile justice systems. that
demonstrates that those developing strategies to address the racial discrimination and
overrepresentation of the minority groups within the juvenile justice systems in America. In that
light, intersectionality framework discourages the treatment of class, gender, and race as isolated
factors informing the disproportionate minority confinement but rather to identify how the
factors interact and intersect in producing discriminatory outcomes within the American juvenile
justice system (Nair & Vollhardt, 2020). Therefore, it is important to employ both the
intersectionality and critical race theory to explore the unfair confinement of the minority groups
in America. These two frameworks together would help in identifying the underlying factors that
encourages racial discrimination within the juvenile justice systems. they are therefore important
in informing transformative change buy dismantling the forces that are hell-bent on causing
suffering and havoc among the minority groups in America for their personal interests and gains.
That is true since these frameworks focus on identifying the root causes of the problem, making
them crucial in pulling to pieces the structural and systematic inequalities that leave the minority
groups at higher risk of facing the juvenile justice systems. on the other hand, intersectionality
would help end racial discrimination and overrepresentation of the minority groups within the
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the problem by focusing on racial disparities and how it can be reduced within the juvenile
The above theoretical framework therefore suggests four solutions to the problem. First,
it advocates for the development of prevention and diversion programs to solve the issue of
disproportionate minority confinement within the American juvenile justice system (Serrant,
2020). That includes the implementation of programs intended to addressing the root causes of
the problem. For instance, this Solution demonstrates the need to increase access to education,
reduction of trauma, and increasing access to job opportunities among the minority groups. It
also suggests the need to increase access to mental health services which is believed to be among
the causes of increased incarceration among members of the minority communities in America.
In that light, the prevention and diversion programs would be important in offering timely
interventions and support for the minority groups who are at higher risk of being taken to the
The second solution proposal is the community-based incarceration, to reduce the high-
rate incarceration of members of minority groups based on their race and ethnic groups. This
proposal requires strategic investment intended to restore and improve the juvenile justice
practices (Nair & Vollhardt, 2020). That ranges from the practices of the law enforcement
officers to the criminal justice procedures. This solution promotes for increased reintegration in
the communities, character rebuilding, and increased accountability among law enforcement
officers to prevent the exploitation of the minority groups through unnecessary punitive trials
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enforced on them. It also calls for youth development programs within the minority
communities. The programs would be necessary in enhancing skill development and individual
growth, lowering their chances of being incarcerated and taken to the juvenile justice systems.
The third solution proposal is the reformation of practices and policies that tend to
encourage the mistreatment of the minority groups. This solution suggests the need to carry out
bias training for justice system persons, including the judges and police officers (Ramírez, 2021).
That is essential in keeping them aware that the minority groups are generally mistreated and
unequal represented within the juvenile justice systems. it would encourage the judges and law
enforcement officers to employ the same yardstick for judging members of their race on the
members of the minority groups. Offering bias training programs for the judges and law
enforcement officers would be crucial in enhancing impartial and fair decision making within the
juvenile justice systems in America. To enhance the effectiveness of this solution, it is necessary
to do away with zero tolerance policies which have been proven to affect the minority groups
such as the Hispanics and African Americans the most. The zero tolerance policies are dangerous
to the youths from minority groups in America since they contribute to the majority of the
juvenile incarcerations, creating a school to prison conduit for the young children.
The final solution proposal is to address the systematic inequalities in America. That can
be achieved by implementing systematic changes by doing away with policies intended to put
down members of minority races in America (Drake & Hodge, 2022). It should also focus on
bring to an end practice and beliefs that unfairly encourage racial disparities within the American
juvenile justice system. It focuses on promoting the youth’s wellbeing and mental health, despite
their ethnic and racial background. That is essential in implementing practice and policies that
promote inclusion and equity in the juvenile justice system. The policies and practices should
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guide on the actions to be taken against those who continue to racially discriminate against
individuals from minority groups in America, including jail terms and harsh fines. That would
encourage the judges and law enforcement officers to practice equality and inclusion within the
juvenile justice system and beyond, ensuring the problem is solved completely.
The suggested solutions have a huge implication on the juvenile justice system and the
wider American society. That is true since the identified solutions focus on addressing the root
causes of the problem. First, the prioritization of diversion and prevention is significant in bring
to an end the disproportionate minority confinement within the juvenile justice systems. This
solution is crucial since it identifies and acknowledges that the increased minority group
confinement within the juvenile justice systems is not an individual’s issue but an issue of
systematic inequality (McCarter & Durant, 2022). It is likely to create a long-lasting solution to
the problem since it focuses on promoting systematic equality, crucial in addressing causative
factors like trauma, poverty, and better access to education for the minority groups. The diversion
and prevention programs are therefore important in redirecting the interest of the young members
of the minority groups, making them prioritize their future and wellbeing over actions that may
lead them to the juvenile justice systems. it enables the young members of the minority groups to
have better access to community based mental health services, after school programs, and
mentorship programs, keeping the children busy on self-improvement rather than illegal
activities that promote juvenile incarceration among the minority groups. These programs are
important in lowering the chances and risk of the young members of the minority groups to
increasing their chances of being good members of the community and society at large (Zane &
Pupo, 2021). That benefits individuals since it restores them back to the community much faster.
It also benefits the society by lowering the expenses on the juveniles since it does away with the
need to keep them in prison. Instead, it allows the juveniles to interact freely with mentors,
increasing their accountability to the communities they belong. It also focuses on restoring the
justice system by changing and improving practices meant to punish the juvenile’s rom minority
groups. For instance, it enables different juvenile offenders, community members, and victims to
work together in addressing the effects of criminal acts on the community and how it makes
outsiders to vie the communities. It is, therefore, an important solution since it promotes
understanding and therapy over punishment. This solution is effective in restoring the justice
practices by encouraging the law enforcement officers and the judges to use an equitable and
more comprehensive response to juvenile offenses, lowering chances of sending the juveniles to
the justice systems which may leave them worse by allowing them to interact with more
experienced criminals.
Third, the youth development initiative is an important solution since it enables youth’s
wo are higher risk of being taken to the juvenile justice systems to have opportunity to develop
important skills and enhance personal growth. Youth development initiatives are important since
they enable youths to have free access to recreational activities and job training, essential in
making them important members of the society (Zane & Pupo, 2021). Such programs leave
individuals and the community with positive impression since enables the youths to develop
resilience, essential in making them feel part of the larger marginalized communities. These
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programs enable the communities to invest on the young people, enabling the youths to feel
valued. That is important in encouraging them to work hard to maintaining positive impression
on the members of their communities and beyond, lowering their chances of being sent to
Fourth, reforming practices and polices for the juvenile practitioners is crucial in
lowering racial disparity within juvenile confinement. It is important since it focuses on making
every stakeholder better. For instance, the bias training for the justice system persons such as the
judges and law enforcement officers make it suitable for the problem (Shoemaker, 2020). Beside
enforcing impartial and fair trail and decision making for the juveniles of all background,
reforming policies and practices through bias training is significant in raising awareness on the
portion of the juvenile incarceration for the members of the minority groups in America. The bias
training for the justice system personnel has positive implication on individuals and communities
since it helps in identifying how racial inequality practices are encouraged within the juvenile
justice systems in America. that is important keeping the community aware and prepared for
what may happen if they act a certain way. It also enables them to understand that they are likely
to be targeted, making members of the at-risk groups to be more careful when interacting with
the law enforcement officers and the juvenile justice systems judges.
The suggested solutions above therefore have deep rooted implications on the
communities and individuals. That is true since they extend beyond the juvenile justice systems
limitations. They are thus important in influencing the society to be more equitable and to treat
members of diverse races and ethnic groups with more respect (Morgan, 2020). They discourage
racial discrimination, making them important for developing an all-inclusive society where all
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individuals feel valued and respected irrespective of their race, colour, and interest as long as
Evaluation
Even though the suggested solutions appear promising resolutions to the bigger problem,
it is necessary to understand that they ca only be effective if they are implemented alongside
systematic improvements and structural reforms. That would make it possible to solve the root
causes of disproportionate representation of the minority groups in America in the local juvenile
justice systems (Morgan, 2020). It also requires a better understanding of how systemic
inequalities have direct links to poverty and race. That suggest the need to make every
stakeholder to prioritize improving the lives and wellbeing of the poor communities and having a
more positive appreciation of diverse races in America. It is also important to understand that the
suggested solutions may not work in absence of continuous and sustained efforts intended to rip
to shreds the racist practices and policies used by law enforcement officers and the juvenile
justice system judges. It also requires the societal focus on improving the wellbeing of all the
young people in America without putting their racial background or ethnic groups into
consideration.
their potential restrictions and inadvertent impacts on the society. For instance, it is necessary to
understand that the solution such as prevention and diversion initiatives may result in stigma and
stereotypes on the young people from the minority communities in America (Zane & Pupo,
2021). That can be true if the solution is implemented through force and intimidation. It is
therefore necessary to create awareness on the programs to allow the society take part in the
process through their own volition. That makes it necessary to bring the whole society on the
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same page by illustrating to them what the members of the minority groups have gone through
and are likely to face in future if the solutions are not implemented. That would encourage every
stakeholder to try to fit themselves in the soes of the minority groups, enabling them to show
empathy and compassion towards them. It is also crucial t identify and understand that the
scalability. That makes it necessary for the community to identify adequate sources of the
necessary resources needed in running the programs. Besides, where the number of youths
required to join the program exceed the existing resources, the programs may become
unsustainable, making it necessary to consider the nature of the community and the rate of
Conclusion
The unfair confinement of the minority groups in America presents a huge challenge. It
demonstrates the level of racism, despite the centuries long efforts to end unequal treatment of
members of different races and ethnic groups in America. The increased detention and
incarceration of the minority groups extends beyond the judicial proceedings and the boundaries
of law enforcement, indicating that without proper solution the issue is likely to grow to a much
bigger problem in the future. This paper employs social work based theoretical framework to
help in developing long lasting solutions to the unequal minority confinement within the
this paper since offers effective guidance for practice, making it easy to develop solutions that
are backed by research. Social work-based framework enables policy and practice practitioners
to take time in identifying and comprehending the complex nature of specific social issues and
how they may have been perpetuated in the past systematically. This paper specifically employs
15
the Critical Race Theory as the social work-based theoretical framework. The theory provides a
healthy analytical lens, making it easy to understand the root cause of the disproportionate
another important framework necessary in exploring the complications within the unequal
confinement of the minority groups in America. It shows how the factors of social identities,
class, gender, and race informs how some groups are treated within the American society.
The theoretical framework suggests four solutions to the problem. It advocates for the
minority confinement within the American juvenile justice system. The second solution proposal
minority groups based on their race and ethnic groups. This proposal requires strategic
investment intended to restore and improve the juvenile justice practices. The third solution
proposal is the reformation of practices and policies that tend to encourage the mistreatment of
the minority groups. This solution suggests the need to carry out bias training for justice system
persons, including the judges and police officers. The final solution proposal is to address the
doing away with policies intended to put down members of minority races in America.
The suggested solutions have a huge implication on the juvenile justice system and the
wider American society. They focus on addressing the root causes of the problem. The
minority confinement within the juvenile justice systems. The community-based option to
confinement is important solution with a great implication on the society and individuals. It
focuses on rehabilitating individuals, increasing their chances of being good members of the
16
community and society at large. The youth development initiative enables youths who are at
higher risk of being taken to the juvenile justice systems to have opportunity to develop
important skills and enhance personal growth. Reforming practices and policies for the juvenile
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