is a serious problem especially in the South and inner cities. Drug and alcohol abuse have influenced minorities in a devastating way. The median age of minorities is much younger than whites with over half of minorities being younger than 30. The size of this at-risk age group has increased the percentage of minorities being arrested and incarcerated. Minorities tend to earn lower wages and have high percentages of their populations in the poor or poverty levels. The difficulties minorities can experience in obtaining their goals have led to several theories on how frustration against society is released (e.g. through violence). Finally, racism and prejudice have restrained minority participation in the justice system in official forms and have created an adverse environment for minorities being processed through it. The ability of any generation to reverse the disparate trend apparent in the American justice system depends on full knowledge and understanding of the origins of the problem. Perhaps then some solutions can be ascertained and implemented. Progress is noticeable when the present is compared with the first two-thirds of the 20th century. But most important, people must recognize that there still remains a disparity between whites and minorities in the justice system, and they need to believe that civil liberties and equality for all is ultimately necessary....
