Posted on 09/29/2007 9:30:45 AM PDT by Lorianne
WASHINGTON -- More than three times as many black people live in prison cells as in college dorms, the government said in a report to be released today.
The ratio is only slightly better for Hispanics, at 2.7 inmates for every Latino in college housing. Among Anglos, more than twice as many live in college housing as in prison or jail.
The numbers, driven by men, do not include college students who live off campus. Previously released census data show that black and Hispanic college students -- commuters and those in dorms -- far outnumber black and Hispanic prison inmates.
Nevertheless, civil rights advocates said it is startling that blacks and Hispanics are more likely to live in prison cells than in college dorms.
"It's one of the great social and economic tragedies of our time," said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and a former mayor of New Orleans. "It points to the signature failure in our education system and how we've been raising our children."
The Census Bureau released 2006 data today on the social, racial and economic characteristics of people living in adult correctional facilities, college housing and nursing homes. It is the first in-depth look at people living in "group quarters" since the 1980 Census.
The new data have limitations. In addition to not including commuter students, the information does not provide racial breakdowns by gender or age.
Also, most prison inmates are 25 or older while 96 percent of people in college housing are ages 18 to 24.
The data show that big increases in the number of black and Hispanic inmates have occurred since 1980. In 1980, the number of blacks living in college dorms was roughly equal to the number in prison. Among Hispanics, those in college dorms outnumbered those in prison.
There are a lot of reasons black students do not reach college at the same rate as Anglos, said Amy Stuart Wells, a sociology and education professor at Columbia University's Teachers College.
Black students are more likely to attend segregated schools with high concentrations of poverty, less-qualified teachers, lower expectations and a less-demanding curriculum, she said.
"And they are perceived by society as terrible schools, so it is hard to get accepted into college," Wells said. "Even if you are a high-achieving kid who beats the odds, you are less likely to have access to the kinds of courses that colleges are looking for."
Blacks made up 41 percent of the nation's 2 million prison and jail inmates in 2006. Anglos made up 37 percent, and Hispanics 19 percent.
Among the other findings:
Men made up about 90 percent of prison and jail inmates in 2006, down from 94 percent in 1980.
About 9 percent of prison inmates were immigrants last year, up from about 4 percent in 1980. Immigrants made up about 13 percent of the total population in 2006.
Anglos made up about 73 percent of the 2.3 million people living in college housing in 2006. Blacks made up about 12 percent, Asians about 7 percent and Hispanics about 6 percent.
Online: www.census.gov
It's one of the great ... tragedies of our time.
Surprisingly, the New York Times went against the trend and actually reported the story accurately!!!
College Dwellers Outnumber the Imprisoned ___ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/us/27census.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
According to government figures, more than twice as many young black men are now attending college than are imprisoned.
But that didn't stop John Edwards from predicting doom for young black males:
Edwards: 'Pretty Soon We’re Not Going to Have a Young African-American Male Population in America.' ___ http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Yjk3OGY3MDI4NjcyMGZjZjhjZTY2NDhmZTlkODhkMWI
I don’t really care. They put themselves in prison. There is a concept called personal responsibility. They also return to prison more often than any other group.
Rather then blame everyone else maybe “black” leaders should be saying “hmm, WHY are so many of our young men turning out to be criminals”.
Breaking news in the same logic stream
More blacks on welfare than in dorms too!
So the Dims get caught in a lie, more blacks are in prison than go to college, so they refine the lie to more blacks live in prison than in dorms. And of course since most people in dorms are under 20 and most people in prison are 20+, this is nothing more than a bait and switch to confuse the public per usual.
Yonny Edwards to da rescue.......
“We start with the president of the United States saying to America, ‘we cannot build enough prisons to solve this problem. And the idea that we can keep incarcerating and keep incarcerating — pretty soon we’re not going to have a young African-American male population in America. They’re all going to be in prison or dead. One of the two.”
Edwards Predicts Doom for African-American Males (”they’ll all be in prison or dead”)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1903720/posts
There are more whites on welfare than in dorms.
So whats the point? This is just creating news where there is none..
I am offended by the word Anglo
The new data have limitations. In addition to not including commuter students, the information does not provide racial breakdowns by gender or age.That about kills the whole story. Why do people keep getting away with idiotic and meaningless statistics like this?Also, most prison inmates are 25 or older while 96 percent of people in college housing are ages 18 to 24.
Such as they occupy prison cells before they think about applications to live in dormitories?
Of course, they don't have to pay room and board while in prison, but do have time to study, so is there any reason why Hispanics and Blacks shouldn't be better educated than whites in America?
ML/NJ
Somewhere there is a cause or special interest waiting for a statistic to validate the cause. How nice that this worked out for the people who want to use the statistic.
“...lies, damned lies, and statistics.”
Democrats recommend Whites commit more crime and drop out of school. White fathers should abandon there children and White women should have 3 times as many abortions!
Not according to the actual statistics. Twice as many young black men attend college as are in prison (in the same age group).
But you wouldn’t know that reading the first article I posted. Only if you read this one:
College Dwellers Outnumber the Imprisoned ___ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/us/27census.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
These lazy AP reporters never want to discover why all these blacks went to prison. The truth would be freak them out.
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