The over-representation of minorities, especially African Americans, in U.S. prisons has received much attention in recent years, but the disproportionate representation of minorities is not limited to adult prisons. It is also found among youth confined in secure juvenile facilities. Because of inconsistencies in the collection and reporting of information about Latino youth, they are often counted as "white," resulting in the under-reporting of confined minority group members. Data from a number of sources indicates that minority over-representation is generally a product of actions that occur at earlier points in the juvenile justice system. In 1998, African American youth were over-represented as a proportion of arrests in 26 of 29 offense categories documented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. White youth represented 66% of the juvenile court referral population, but they were only 53% of the detained population. African Americans made up 31% of the referred population, and 44% of the detained population. Minority youth were also over-represented in formal processing, waiver to adult court, and dispositions of out-of-home placement. It is expected that the cumulative disadvantage of minority youth will continue to spiral as states continue to pass more punitive laws allowing youth to be charged as adults. (SLD)