Culver: Juvenile detention rates decline

(AP) - Governor Chet Culver says there are signs efforts to decrease Iowas rates of youth detention, especially for minority youth, are showing signs of success.

According to Culver, Iowa has decreased its overall detention of juveniles by about 15 percent in each of the last two years without impacting public safety.

Culver said Monday he created the Youth, Race and Detention Task Force with the goal of reducing the overrepresentation of minorities in Iowa's prison system.

Iowa officials say national studies suggest detaining low-level juvenile offenders makes them more likely to become involved in the justice system later on.

In Black Hawk County, detention rates of minority youth declined by more than 20 percent for calendar year 2008. In Polk County, minority detention declined by 23.2%, and in Woodbury County minority detention was cut by 5.2%.