Iowa Supreme Court working to address racial disparity concerns

DES MOINES - Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady pointed to encouraging signs Monday that Iowa is addressing problems associated with racial disparity in the state's criminal justice system.

Speaking to attendees of an Iowa Summit on Justice & Disparities conference at Drake University, Cady said efforts are underway to inform and educate Iowa judges about racial disparity problems and the steps that can be taken to end them. As part of what he called project equality, Cady said recommendations also have been made on ways to reduce racial disparity at all stages in Iowa's juvenile justice system.

The Supreme Court leader pointed to a training effort in Johnson and Linn counties where representatives of the police department, public schools, juvenile court, and a juvenile court judge are working to reduce racial disparity in the charges of disorderly conduct filed by police against students in their high schools with the creation of a new juvenile diversionary court.

'We have work to do,” the chief justice told the gathering. 'But, with the knowledge and understanding gained from our collaborative efforts and conversations that we have begun, the opportunity for positive change is now before us. We must take this day, and every day that follows, to seize the

opportunity to make the change happen.”