The following piece originally appeared on The New York Times under the “To the Editor” section. It was submitted by Sarah Bryer in response to the Central Park Five ruling.

By: Sarah Bryer

 

To the Editor:

Re “5 Exonerated in Jogger Rape Agree to Settle” (front page, June 20):

The story of the Central Park Five is an important reminder that although things have certainly improved since the 1980s, our juvenile justice system continues to single out youths of color for harsher treatment for the same crimes, from arrest through incarceration.

Youths of color do not commit more crimes than other kids, yet they are confined to youth facilities nearly three times more often than white youths. It is appalling that, even as youth confinement is down nationwide, the latest reports show that racial and ethnic disparities in the system have intensified.

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