William Jernigan, Director of Prevention Strategies and Maryland’s Statewide Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED) Coordinator with Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services – Children and Youth Division “William’s line of work includes the planning and coordinating of local as well as statewide efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the State of Maryland through the development of initiatives and strategies for prevention of youth from coming in contact with Maryland’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Additionally, William serves as an Executive Board member of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice as the National R/ED Coordinator, supporting efforts to reduce the overrepresentation of youth of color in the country’s juvenile justice system.”

Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED), formerly known as Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) is one of the four core protections of the reauthorized Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act of 2018. R/ED exists when minority youth populations are involved at a decision point in the juvenile justice system at disproportionately higher rates than non-minority youth at that decision point. Possible decision points include arrest, diversion, pretrial detention, confinement, and transfers to adult court. States receive funding through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Formula Grants Program (Title II). These funds help states address juvenile delinquency and support improvements to the juvenile justice system, including addressing the overrepresentation of youth of color in their juvenile justice system. Information on R/ED from the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is available at: https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/programs/racial-and-ethnic-disparities.

For more information, please contact William Jernigan at william.jernigan1@maryland.gov.