Juvenile Justice

DMC
Disproportionate Minority Contact
with the Juvenile Justice System

 

Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) exists when the percentage of minority youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system is higher than their percentage in the total youth population.

Since 1969, research has shown that DMC is a pervasive and long-standing problem throughout the nation. The causes of DMC are complex and may include disparities both within and outside the system.

Since 1990, the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and other entities have been providing research and technical assistance to state and local efforts to reduce DMC. As a result, some states and localities have demonstrated measurable successes through the implementation of innovative DMC reduction strategies.

Since 1994, the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice and its citizen advisory board, the Alaska Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, have been working to reduce DMC in Alaska. DMC studies and a DMC brochure have been published and are available online. DMC statistics are updated annually and are also available online.

Activity Timelines

 

For additional information, please contact:

Barbara Learmonth
DMC Reduction Coordinator
Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice
P.O. Box 110635
Juneau, AK 99811-0635
(907) 465-8466
Barbara_Learmonth@health.state.ak.us

Jonathon Lack
DMC Workgroup Chair
Alaska Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee
508 W. 2nd Avenue, Suite 300
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 278-8533
lack@tindall-law.com