Dean Michael Patchner to appear before Indiana Black Legislative Caucus annual symposium to discuss issues facing youth of color

Dean Michael Patchner

     Indiana University School of Social Work Dean Michael Patchner will appear Friday at the State House before the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus 2008 Symposium to discuss issues facing youth of color.

     Patchner, who is co-chair of the Indiana Commission on Disproportionality in Youth Services, will be among commission members who will review the work of the commission concerning the numbers of youth of color in connection with juvenile justice, child welfare, education and mental health services.

     Disproportionality refers to the situation in which members of a particular race or ethnic group are represented at a higher or low percentage than their representation in the general public.

      The commission’s research has shown:

·        While African-American children represent 10 percent of the state child population, African-American youth make up 37 percent of those waiting to be adopted.

·        African-American youths are three times as likely as white youth to get arrested.

·        African-American youth are incarcerated at five times the rate of their white counterparts for equal offenses and are likewise underrepresented in diversion or probation programs.

·        African-American youth are four times more likely than white students to be suspended out of school and more than three times as likely to be expelled.

     The commission was created by the Indiana General Assembly last year to investigate the issue and began meeting in January. Among other things, the commission has held a series of public forums across the state to hear the views of the public on the issue.

      The commission has developed draft recommendations to deal with disproportionality as it faces an Oct. 15 deadline to turn in a report to the Governor and legislature.

     The draft recommendations are wide-ranging, including the creation of a cabinet level overseeing body to further develop, administer and monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the commission.