"While the overall rate of incarceration of all youth has decreased by 55% since 1997, the rate of incarceration of youth of color continues to rise, marking an alarming pattern."

A report by the Burns Institute examines the dispropritionate overrepresentation of youth of color in prisons.  

"Stemming the Rising Tide: Racial & Ethnic Disparities in Youth Incarceration and Strategies for Change" cites Youth Advocate Programs' report Safely Home and its call for culturally competent, community based services for youth as a safe and cost-effective alternative to incarceration.