Law Enforcement Solutions for Reducing Racial Law Enforcement Solutions for Reducing Racial Disparities & Disproportionate Minority Contact Disparities & Disproportionate Minority Contact

in Juvenile Justice in Juvenile Justice

PENNSYLVANIA COMMISSION ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY(PCCD) DMC SUBCOMMITTEE’S PHILADELPHIA WORKING GROUP

PHILADELPHIA MINORITY YOUTH – LAW ENFORCEMENT RELATIONS POLICY

PENNSYLVANIA COMMISSION ON PENNSYLVANIA COMMISSION ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCYCRIME AND DELINQUENCY

Who We Who We AreAre

THE PHILADELPHIA WORKING GROUPTHE PHILADELPHIA WORKING GROUP• 5 Youth Members5 Youth Members• 7 Law Enforcement Officers7 Law Enforcement Officers

Philadelphia Housing Authority PolicePhiladelphia Housing Authority Police Philadelphia Mass Transit PolicePhiladelphia Mass Transit Police Philadelphia Police Philadelphia Police Philadelphia School District PolicePhiladelphia School District Police Philadelphia SheriffPhiladelphia Sheriff

• Behavioral Health ConsultantBehavioral Health Consultant• Department of Human Services Department of Human Services • District AttorneyDistrict Attorney• Public DefenderPublic Defender• School District RepresentativesSchool District Representatives• Juvenile Court RepresentativeJuvenile Court Representative• Philadelphia Faith-Based Initiative LeadersPhiladelphia Faith-Based Initiative Leaders• The Mayor’s OfficeThe Mayor’s Office• Local University Professor & AuthorLocal University Professor & Author

Analyzing DMC at Key Decision Points Analyzing DMC at Key Decision Points in the Juvenile Justice Systemin the Juvenile Justice System• Youth Contact with PoliceYouth Contact with Police

– Exercise of DiscretionExercise of Discretion• Arrest Arrest

– Police Directed Diversion ProgramsPolice Directed Diversion Programs• Referral to Juvenile Court Referral to Juvenile Court

– District Attorney Directed Diversion Programs (Youth District Attorney Directed Diversion Programs (Youth Aid Panels)Aid Panels)

• Informal resolution/ Adjustment at IntakeInformal resolution/ Adjustment at Intake• Detention Detention

– Access to CounselAccess to Counsel– Detention Screening Instrument/ OverridesDetention Screening Instrument/ Overrides

• PetitionPetition– Consent Decrees (reporting/ non-reporting)Consent Decrees (reporting/ non-reporting)

• AdjudicationAdjudication– Deferred AdjudicationDeferred Adjudication

• ProbationProbation– Graduated SanctionsGraduated Sanctions

• Placement Placement • Transfer to Adult CourtTransfer to Adult Court

Arrest Arrest StatisticsStatistics

PennsylvaniaPennsylvania::• Pennsylvania has an estimated minority youth Pennsylvania has an estimated minority youth

population of 22%.population of 22%.• 47% of children arrested in Pennsylvania are 47% of children arrested in Pennsylvania are

minority youth.minority youth.• 67% of Pennsylvania’s children in residential 67% of Pennsylvania’s children in residential

are minority youth.are minority youth.

• African American youth are arrested at a rate African American youth are arrested at a rate of 3.9 times that of white youth.of 3.9 times that of white youth.

• Latino youth are arrested at a rate of 2.0 times Latino youth are arrested at a rate of 2.0 times that of white youth.that of white youth.

Pennsylvania DMC Data - Pennsylvania DMC Data - 20062006

Total exceeds 100%; White & Black includes Hispanic

Philadelphia DMC Data - Philadelphia DMC Data - 20062006

Philadelphia DMC Data - Philadelphia DMC Data - 20062006

Philadelphia DMC Data - Philadelphia DMC Data - 20062006

Mission Mission StatementStatement

WeWe aim to identify and develop aim to identify and develop concrete, viable and measurable concrete, viable and measurable strategies that will improve the strategies that will improve the relationship between ethnic relationship between ethnic minority youth and members of minority youth and members of law enforcement. We believe law enforcement. We believe that improving this relationship that improving this relationship will lead to less volatile will lead to less volatile interaction and the cultivation of interaction and the cultivation of a spirit of mutual cooperation a spirit of mutual cooperation that will benefit minority youth, that will benefit minority youth, law enforcement and our entire law enforcement and our entire community.community.

Minority Youth – Law Minority Youth – Law Enforcement Enforcement

Relations ForumsRelations Forums

Addressing the Problem Addressing the Problem at the Point of Contactat the Point of Contact

The The ProblemProblem

““Are police more aggressive because Are police more aggressive because the youth are confrontational, or are the youth are confrontational, or are

the youth more confrontational the youth more confrontational because officers tend to be more because officers tend to be more aggressive to minority youth?”aggressive to minority youth?”

~ ~ Philadelphia Youth-Law Enforcement Forum November, Philadelphia Youth-Law Enforcement Forum November, 20042004

Common Responses to Common Responses to Minority Youth – Law Enforcement Minority Youth – Law Enforcement

RelationsRelationsYouthYouth

• We run because we’re We run because we’re scared, not guilty.scared, not guilty.

• Just because we are Just because we are wearing certain wearing certain clothing doesn’t mean clothing doesn’t mean we are gang members we are gang members or bad – it is about or bad – it is about stylestyle

• We hang on the We hang on the corners because there corners because there is nowhere else to gois nowhere else to go

• Most kids want to do Most kids want to do the right thingthe right thing

Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement• Police have families Police have families

they want to go home they want to go home toto

• Trust the police to help Trust the police to help and protect you. The and protect you. The only way the police can only way the police can help you is if you help help you is if you help them. Let them know them. Let them know who and where the who and where the problem is.problem is.

• Police are people too; Police are people too; and they do not want and they do not want to be disrespected.to be disrespected.

• Police can be friends. Police can be friends.

Policy Academy Policy Academy Curriculum Curriculum

Open Dialogue between Open Dialogue between Youth and Law Youth and Law EnforcementEnforcement

Police Academy Police Academy CurriculumCurriculum

The Police Academy Curriculum serves The Police Academy Curriculum serves to open dialogue between young people to open dialogue between young people and law enforcement through the and law enforcement through the following objectives:following objectives:

• Identify issues and concerns regarding youth Identify issues and concerns regarding youth and law enforcement interactions; and law enforcement interactions;

• Teach law enforcement about adolescent Teach law enforcement about adolescent development, ethnic and cultural differences development, ethnic and cultural differences and how to work more effectively with youth;and how to work more effectively with youth;

• Teach youth how to interact with law Teach youth how to interact with law enforcement in a positive way.enforcement in a positive way.

Police Academy Police Academy CurriculumCurriculum

Law Enforcement and Youth ForumLaw Enforcement and Youth ForumSample AgendaSample Agenda

8:00 am 8:00 am Module 1 – Panel discussionModule 1 – Panel discussion9:30 am9:30 am BreakBreak9:45 am9:45 am Module 2 – Forum Debrief SessionModule 2 – Forum Debrief Session1:00 pm1:00 pm Module 3 Cadets – Adolescent Module 3 Cadets – Adolescent DevelopmentDevelopment Module 3 Youth – “Think About if Module 3 Youth – “Think About if First”First”2:45 pm2:45 pm BreakBreak3:00 pm3:00 pm Module 4 – Effective Use of Module 4 – Effective Use of Communication Communication to Interact to Interact with Youthwith Youth4:45 pm4:45 pm End of programEnd of program

MODULE I:MODULE I:Minority Youth—Law Minority Youth—Law

Enforcement Panel DiscussionEnforcement Panel Discussion::   • Cadets observe facilitated discussion between Minority Cadets observe facilitated discussion between Minority

Youth from the community and experienced Law Youth from the community and experienced Law Enforcement officers.Enforcement officers.

• Youth from local high schools and community Youth from local high schools and community programs are brought to Police Academy to participate programs are brought to Police Academy to participate with cadets. with cadets.

GoalsGoals• Identify issues, concerns and recommendations for Identify issues, concerns and recommendations for

improving youth and law enforcement relations from improving youth and law enforcement relations from the experienced law enforcement officer perspectives the experienced law enforcement officer perspectives

• Identify issues, concerns and recommendations for Identify issues, concerns and recommendations for improving youth and law enforcement relations from improving youth and law enforcement relations from youth perspectives youth perspectives   

MODULE II:MODULE II:Small Group WorkshopsSmall Group Workshops

  • Cadets and Youth are given an Cadets and Youth are given an

opportunity to discuss the comments opportunity to discuss the comments during the panel discussion in during the panel discussion in facilitated small groups.facilitated small groups.

• Facilitators guide discussion to Facilitators guide discussion to ensure that all participants have an ensure that all participants have an opportunity to discuss issues raised opportunity to discuss issues raised during the panel discussionduring the panel discussion

MODULE III: Cadet SegmentMODULE III: Cadet SegmentAdolescent Development and Adolescent Development and

Youth CultureYouth Culture    • Cadets examine youth culture, brain Cadets examine youth culture, brain

development, concepts of hypervigilance and development, concepts of hypervigilance and hypermasculinity, as well as the distinctive hypermasculinity, as well as the distinctive characteristics of boys’ and girls’ coping characteristics of boys’ and girls’ coping strategies .strategies .

• Cadets learn about the environmental, Cadets learn about the environmental, physical and biological reasons why physical and biological reasons why teenagers think and behave the way they do. teenagers think and behave the way they do.

• A number of video clips are shown from A number of video clips are shown from television, a movie, and a scripted simulation television, a movie, and a scripted simulation of a police officer’s interaction with a teenage of a police officer’s interaction with a teenage girl girl

MODULE III: Youth Segment MODULE III: Youth Segment Think About it FirstThink About it First    

• Youth are taught to identify how adolescent Youth are taught to identify how adolescent development and environmental influences development and environmental influences (physical, social, cultural) impact behavior (physical, social, cultural) impact behavior with law enforcementwith law enforcement

• Issues of respect are examined as they impact Issues of respect are examined as they impact Law enforcement– youth relationshipsLaw enforcement– youth relationships

• Youth discuss options that can contribute to Youth discuss options that can contribute to safe and positive interactions with law safe and positive interactions with law enforcement.enforcement.

MODULE IVMODULE IVAsserting Authority with YouthAsserting Authority with Youth

  • Issues of respect are examined as they impact law Issues of respect are examined as they impact law

enforcement– youth relationshipsenforcement– youth relationships• Cadets and youth enact situations given to them Cadets and youth enact situations given to them

by the facilitator. The group identifies what by the facilitator. The group identifies what behaviors led to increased conflict and discuss behaviors led to increased conflict and discuss ways to improve communications in order to ways to improve communications in order to prevent unnecessary confrontations.prevent unnecessary confrontations.

• Participants then create role plays based on these Participants then create role plays based on these situations that demonstrate effective situations that demonstrate effective communication strategies communication strategies

GoalsGoals• Identify strategies for developing rapport with Identify strategies for developing rapport with

youth and for preventing confrontation and youth and for preventing confrontation and conflictconflict

• Identify effective use of verbal and nonverbal Identify effective use of verbal and nonverbal communicationcommunication

Measurements of Success Measurements of Success CurriculumCurriculumPre / Post Pre / Post

Evaluations Evaluations