Juvenile Justice

Causes of DMC

DMC may be caused by a combination of factors inside and outside the juvenile justice system. National research has identified five commonly cited explanations for DMC:

  • Minority youth may have less access to prevention and treatment services.
  • Minority youth may have more involvement in criminal activities.
  • Minority youth may be sanctioned differently by the juvenile justice system.
  • Legal factors such as laws and policies may contribute inadvertently to DMC.
  • Non-legal factors such as income, education and employment may contribute indirectly to DMC.

DMC may vary by minority group, by locality, and over time.

Each state and locality must assess whether some or all of these factors contribute to DMC, or whether other factors are involved.

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