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The purpose of this proposal is to build the capacity of 3 local human rights commissions in <br />Minnesota and the LMHRC to undertake the following action to promote social justice: 1. <br />Become knowledgeable about the reasons why there is a disproportionate percentage of <br />Minnesota youth of color in involved in the juvenile justice system. 2. To acquire the skill to <br />rganize a one day conference for professionals in law enforcement, the juvenile justice system, <br />local school representative and state legislative representatives provide information about ways <br />to reduce the number of Minnesota youth sentenced through the Juvenile Justice Systm. 3. To <br />gain advocacy skill to promote institutional change through public information dissemination <br />and support of legislative change that supports a decrease in juvenile detention in Minnesota. <br />1. Children of color are more likely to wind up in detention in Minnesota. This is due to a <br />combination of differences within the juvenile justice system where practices vary widely from <br />county to county, discrimination against chidlren of color, and lack of information about best <br />practices that can reduce the number of children in juvenile detention. <br />2. The State of Minnesota is home to some of the worst levels of disproportionality in the nation. <br />The overall youth of color population aged 10-17 in Minnesota is currently 18% youth of color, <br />yet youth of color represent 38% of youth detained in juvenile detention facilities and 46% of <br />youth committed to a residential facility as part of acourt-ordered disposition (or "sentence" in <br />adult COUrt terms). Michael Belton, April 21, 2009, Testimony, House Committee of Ed and Labor Committee, MN <br />3. The likelihood that children of color will spend time in detention can be markedly reduced <br />through use of a tool, the Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI) and subsequent actions depending <br />on the outcome of t~ze assessment. Since use of teh RAI started in January 2008, the Average <br />Daily Population of youth being held in secure detention at the Ramsey County Juvenile <br />Detention Center has been reduced by 66%, a remarkable decrease. <br />a. Goal b. Expected Outcomes <br />LMHCR and 3 local commissions to gain the skills 1. Minnesota Human Rights Commissions <br />to mobilize professionals statewide involved with will gain knowledge about the reasons <br />juvenile justice and state representatives to youth of color are proportionately more <br />attend aone-day conference titled: "Juvenile likely to face juvenile detention and the <br />Justice Interventions to Reduce Detention of steps that can be taken to mobilize and <br />Minnesota Youth of Color." inform professionals in their local areas <br />The target audience for the conference is: of ways to decrease this number. <br />county attorneys, public defenders, school 2. The capacity gained by 3 local Human <br />officials, members of the judicial system, Rights Commissions to mobilize positive <br />human services workers, those working action, organize a conference to advocate <br />in corrections, probation and detention, for social justice to reduce the number of <br />legislative representatives and representatives. youth of color in detention is generic and <br />from Minnesota and Midwest Human Rights, enables them to advocate for other issues. <br />Commissions. 3. The LMHRC will acquire broader skill <br />in advocacy for solutions to social justic <br />issues. It will increase its network of Human <br />Rights organizations throughout the <br />