The purpose of the Overrepresentation of Children of Color in America’s Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems symposium was to bring together policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and advocates to discuss how overrepresentation and disparate treatment of minorities might be reduced across systems of care. Participants of the symposium gained a deeper understanding of the complexities and implications of the issue, as well as gained specific ideas for how to increase collaboration across systems of care and advance policy and practice in order to reduce racial disparities.
A paper was released after the symposium summarizing the issues related to disproportionality and providing recommendations for the future.
Speakers included:
- Shay Bilchik, Director and Research Professor, Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, Georgetown University
- Matt Stagner, President, Chapin Hall Center for Children
- Dr. David Sanders, Executive Vice President of Systems Improvement, Casey Family Program
- Dr. Jeffrey Butts, Research Fellow, Chapin Hall
- Dr. Bridgette Lery, Researcher, Chapin Hall
- Dr. Ada Skyles, Associate Director, Research Fellow, Chapin Hall
- Dr. Fred Wulczyn, Research Fellow, Chapin Hall
- Dennette Derezotes, Executive Director, Race Matters Consortium at Westat
- Raquel Mariscal, Senior Consultant, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Joyce James, Assistant Commissioner for Child Protective Services, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
- Elizabeth Kromrei, Child Protective Services Field Director, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
- Jim Stegmiller, Project Consultant, Multnomah County, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative
- Michael Ware, Director, Family Services for Self Enhancement, Inc.
- Mary Nelson, Administrator, Division of Child and Family Services, Iowa Department of Human Services
- The Honorable Joe E. Smith, District Associate Judge, District 5C
- John Spinks, Vice President, PACE Juvenile Justice Center
- Kay E. Brown, Acting Director, U.S. Government Accountability Office
- Christine M. Calpin, Acting Associate Director, U.S. Children’s Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families
- Zulima Espinel, Congressional Staffer, Senate Committee on the Judiciary
- Sonja Nesbit, Congressional Staffer, Congressman Charles B. Rangel’s Office
- Mark Soler, Executive Director, Center for Children’s Law and Policy
- Linda Spears, Vice President, Child Welfare League of America
Materials from the Event:
The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform would like to acknowledge the support of their fellow sponsor for the symposium, Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago.