Latinos in Criminal Justice System: Donde Esta la Justicia (Reaction Paper Sample)

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Latinos in Criminal Justice System
Summary of the Donde esta la Justicia
The article "¿Dónde está la justicia?" addresses the issue of the unjust handling of Latino and Latina teenagers in the United States (US) criminal justice system. The authors assert that Latino youth are frequently targeted by the criminal justice structure and suffer unforgiving and unequal treatment at all levels of the system. The authors also highlight the ethnic and racial differences in the structure, which are intensified by the construction of new prisons, jails and juvenile facilities in the US. The data available indicates that Latino teenagers and teenagers of color, undergo mistreatment than white teenagers accused of similar crimes.
The article describes how unequal treatment of Latino teenagers establishes itself in the criminal justice system. For example, Latino youth are overrepresented in out-of-home placements in the child welfare system, are moved from juvenile to adult criminal court at higher rates compared to white teenagers, and are subject to anti-gang statutes that enforce higher consequences on teenagers who courts assume to be "gang members" (Villarruel et al. 7) The criminal justice system mostly depends on perceptions about which teenagers are engaging in gangs, centered on ethnic and racial stereotypes about Latino teenagers.
In conclusion, "¿Dónde está la justicia?" calls for action to address the unjust treatment of Latino