In most juvenile justice jurisdictions, minority youth tend to be incarcerated at a higher rate than their percentage of the general youth population. Minority youth make up 15% of the youth population in Mesa County. Consequently, in 1994, 60% of the youth committed to the Division of Youth Corrections, lock-up facility were minority youth.
Through advocacy and system awareness/improvements by 2005, 22% of the youth in lock-up were minority offenders.
The Minority Family Advocate Program (MFAP) is funded in part by the Division of Criminal Justice, Mesa County Department of Human Services and United Way. In 2005 the MFAP provided case management services to 70 youth and their families with eight of these youth, matched up with an individual advocate.
The Mesa County Minority Over Representation Committee (MCMOR) oversees the MFAP as well as explores other possible changes in the Juvenile Justice System that can possibly impact the Minority Over Representation issue (MOR) in Mesa County. The committee is composed of a variety of representatives from the numerous agencies that work with at risk youth as well as members of the community.
The committee is open to all individuals who work with at risk youth as well as members of the community. The committee meets every second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 pm at Partners located at 1169 Colorado Avenue.
According to the ‘American and National Bar Association’ report, “Justice by Gender”, stated, “The nature and causes of girls’ delinquency is often different from that of boys. Girls in the delinquency system have histories of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Girls also are, developmentally different from boys and girls’ involvement in delinquency is often connected to conflicts in familial and social relations.” Partners has addressed this gender specific dilemma with two activities.
Expressions is a dual component, intervention and prevention initiative, that is a collaborative project with Mesa County Partners, Mesa County Valley School District 51, Mesa County Department of Human Services, Colorado West Mental Health, 21st Judicial District Diversion and Probation, Mesa County Minority Overrepresentation Committee and Hilltop.
The first component of Expressions is an expressive arts therapy group for girls. The session is a closed, confidential group geared toward school age females who are unsuccessful in school, have attendance issues or are involved with the juvenile justice system. Most have suffered traumatic life events that are not addressed, which could lead to high risk behavior, poor decisions and involvement in the court system. Sessions include mood and feeling identification, anger management, self-control, self-esteem, female identity appreciation, body image and improving family relationships.
The second component is Las Chicas (the girls) which is a newly formed Hispanic girls group for ages 12-17, which is designed to promote personal growth, citizenship and healthy social/physical development among Latina adolescents. Las Chicas employs a philosophy of exposure to new and positive experiences with the intention of promoting individual interests, enhancing personal strengths and expanding options for the group that is often marginalized within society.
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