Meeting takes aim at aiding minority youth

ROCHESTER - The Rochester Police Department, in collaboration with the New Hampshire statewide DMC initiative, is hosting its third such symposium on Thursday at the Rochester Community Center.

Disproportionate Minority Contact is a term that refers to the overrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority youth in the juvenile justice system. Overall, youth of color are more likely to come into contact with the juvenile justice system than white youth. This is true for the United States as a whole, as well as for New Hampshire.

DMC exists if there are more youth of color in the juvenile justice system than in the overall youth population. Statistically speaking, in New Hampshire, black youth are morel than three times more likely to be arrested, and Hispanic/Latino youth are more than twice as likely to be arrested, compared to white youth.

The theme of the symposium is "Staying Ahead of the Curve." During the course of the event organizers will encourage an open, honest dialogue on DMC and the steps the city and state can take in addressing the issue.

The symposium will focus on educational, vocational and recreational opportunities available to help youth to a more positive future.

The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. in the Community Room. Day care is available for children 2 and over.