Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) occurs when minority youth and families come into contact with the juvenile justice and child welfare system at a rate higher than their rate in the general population. The Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention (OJJDP) define minority populations as African Americans, American Indians, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. The Office of Juvenile Justice Programs is committed to reducing DMC in the State by:
- Gather, analyze, and distribute juvenile justice data
- Conduct research on effective DMC reduction programs
- Provide training and technical assistance around DMC and cultural competency
- Coordinate the DMC Subcommittee of the SAG
- Distribute federal grant funds to programs that aim to reduce DMC
History of DMC and JJDP (Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention) Act
- 1974 – U.S. Congress passed the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDP), to provide a comprehensive coordinated approach to the problems of juvenile delinquency.
- 1988- Congress amended the JJDP Act requiring that States address DMC in their three year State plans.
- 1992- DMC was elevated to a core requirement in the JJDP Act with future eligibility tied to State compliance.
- 2002- OJJDP changed Disproportionate Minority Confinement to Disproportionate Minority Contact. The JJDP Act reauthorization broadened the DMC concept by requiring states to address juvenile prevention efforts and system improvement efforts designed to reduce the disproportionate number of juvenile members of minority groups, who come into contact with the juvenile system.
States participating in the Formula Grants Program address DMC on an ongoing basis by moving through the following phases:
- Identification: To determine the extent to which DMC exists.
- Assessment: To assess the reasons for DMC, if it exists.
- Intervention: To develop and implement intervention strategies to address these identified reasons.
- Evaluation: To evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen intervention strategies.
- Monitoring: To note changes in DMC trends and to adjust intervention strategies as needed.
Training/Conference Update
36th Annual Juvenile Justice Symposium
“Justice for All: Yesterday’s Problems, Tomorrow’s Solutions”
Pearl River Resort
Choctaw, MS
February 3-5, 2010
For More Information Contact:
Jacqueline Andrews- Conference Coordinator
Email: jf_andrews@comcast.net
Contact Us
Ray Sims II; DMC Coordinator
Email: rsims@dps.ms.gov
(601) 977-3760