SUMMARY - Overrepresentation of Marginalized Youth
Indigenous youth represent five percent of the Canadian youth population but account for nearly half of youth in custody. Black youth in many jurisdictions are detained at rates several times higher than their population share. Youth from low-income neighborhoods cycle through the justice system while their wealthier peers committing similar offenses rarely see the inside of a courtroom. These patterns persist across decades and jurisdictions with such consistency that they demand explanation.