St. Louis, MO – The University of Missouri–St. Louis Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, along with the Division of Continuing Education and the Des Lee Collaborative Vision, presents the 9th Annual Youth Violence Prevention Conference. Thursday, April 8, 2010, expert speakers will gather to examine the treatment of juveniles by the justice system.
International experts on Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) and juvenile justice processing will speak on topics ranging from police contact, juvenile competence and culpability, and federal guidelines to address disproportionate minority contact.
This year’s conference will examine three main themes:
1. The underlying assumptions of the need for a separate juvenile system
2. The examination of juveniles’ interactions with law enforcement officers and how these interactions shape subsequent attitudes toward the police and justice system
3. The extent to which the juvenile justice system disproportionately arrests and commits minority youth
Attendance will be beneficial for professionals who work with at-risk youth, teachers, counselors, public health workers, probation officers, youth advocates, law enforcement officers, students and anyone interested in the welfare of children and youth.
The conference will start at 8 a.m. with registration and a continental breakfast. Speakers will address the group throughout the day, with a couple breaks and lunch. The program will wrap up with an informal socialization.
Financial assistance for this conference has been provided by the Des Lee Collaborative Vision, which brings together key St. Louis educations, cultural and governmental institutions to establish programs and share resources that will benefit the St. Louis community. This is done through collaboration of more than 25 endowed professors and more than 100 member and community organizations in the St. Louis region.
For more information, please visit http://umslce.org/
