Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) refers to the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system. In California, as with nearly all other states, minority youth are overrepresented at various stages of the juvenile justice system such as detention and commitment. The Orange County Probation Department in conjunction with key stakeholders is committed to reducing DMC in the County. The Department has dedicated a DMC Reduction Specialist. In addition, we also:

• Coordinate the DMC efforts with the DMC Ad-Hoc Committee
• Utilize grant funds from the W. Haywood Burns Institute to develop programs that aim to reduce DMC
• Provide training and technical assistance around DMC and cultural competency to staff and collaborative partners
• Gather, analyze and distribute juvenile justice data
• Conduct research on effective DMC reduction programs

For more information about DMC and DMC Subcommittee meetings please contact SPO Valerie Amezcua at valerie.amezcua@prob.ocgov.com or 714-935-6509.

Additional Resources

• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) DMC Page
• OJJDP Disproportionate Minority Confinement Technical Assistance Manual
• Annie E. Casey Foundation, Pathways to Juvenile Detention Reform, Reducing Racial Disparities in Juvenile Detention
• Building Blocks for Youth
• Youth for Justice
• The W. Haywood Burns Institute