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DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- The Iowa governor's office says that 34 percent fewer younger people have been placed in detention statewide since 2007.

Gov. Chet Culver said Tuesday that the figure is 50 percent fewer in Black Hawk and Polk counties. Black Hawk, Polk and Woodbury counties have been participating in a national initiative run by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to reform juvenile detention practices.

Statistics show there was an average daily population of 132 detained youth statewide in Iowa in 2007. That fell to 88 young people in 2009. The average daily population of detained minority youth statewide in 2007 was 58, compared with 41 in 2009 for a 29 percent drop. The statistics are from the Iowa Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning.

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