In the last decade, the Modesto Police Department has arrested Black juveniles at a rate of more than four times their population, according to police data.
Though Black youth have made up only an average of 3.3% of the population over that period, they represented nearly 14% of juvenile arrests since 2013. In the most disproportionate year of the past decade, 2022, Black juveniles accounted for over 16.5% of arrests, which was more than six times their population proportion.
The arrest data, provided by the MPD, comes from the Department of Justice and combines bookings and citations while excluding warrants and certain minor traffic citations, such as unlicensed drivers or suspended licenses, according to MPD spokeswoman Sharon Bear.
Bookings generally involve more serious offenses and result in the individual being taken into custody. In contrast, citations usually are issued for less severe offenses, such as petty theft, and may involve a written notice to appear in court rather than immediate detention.