Repairing the Breach: A Brief History of Youth of Color in the Justice System

The W. Haywood Burns Institute for Youth Justice Fairness & Equity released a report outlining the history of how youth of color have been treated in the juvenile legal system over time as a framework for meaningfully engaging in the fight against mass incarceration.

“Trying to meaningfully address the unacceptable levels of racial and ethnic disparities in our youth justice system without an understanding and knowledge of the historical roots that drive it will not bring about sufficient engagement strategies. As you will see from this essay, there are deeply held beliefs and social norms from this nation’s earliest days that are embedded into youth justice administration, which create and exacerbate racial and ethnic disparities. It is a largely untold story that should be known by every youth justice professional, service provider, and practitioner as well as families and communities.”