Skip to comments.
As I See It:
High Rate of Black Incarceration Is Challenge To Us All
WorkingForChange ^
| 4.18.03
| Cynthia Tucker
Posted on 04/18/2003 9:14:30 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
With little protest from its crime-weary citizens, the United States has become the prison camp of the Western world, locking up 2 million of its population. Young black men are a disproportionate number of the inmates. Among men between 20 and 34, 1.4 percent of white men and 4 percent of Hispanic men are behind bars. But 12 percent of black men in that same age group are incarcerated, according to the Justice Department.
That is a stunning statistic. No community can survive the effective loss of so many of its young men.
And the 12 percent figure manages to minimize the crisis, since it is a snapshot of the prison population over any given day. According to Allen Beck, chief demographer for the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly 30 percent of black men will be incarcerated during their lives.
Yet you hear little outcry from civil rights advocates. Al Sharpton has campaigned against slavery in Sudan. Jesse Jackson battles gender segregation at Augusta National. Georgia civil rights activist Tyrone Brooks protests the possible return of the Confederate battle flag to the state Capitol.
But the high rate of incarceration -- which is decimating the black working class -- is not the central focus of civil rights advocates. How could that be? It is the single most daunting challenge to black America today because it creates the conditions that lead to other failures.
Already, nearly 70 percent of black children are born outside the bonds of marriage -- leaving those children more vulnerable to educational failure, drug abuse and early parenthood themselves. A community is in trouble when children born to two-parent families represent a minority.
But with so many men of marriageable age behind bars, there is little hope for rebuilding the black family structure. Even when released from prison, those men will make poor prospects for marriage. With criminal histories, they will not easily find good jobs. Moreover, hard time in prison often turns a bad criminal into a worse one -- a man who will be disinclined to rejoin society on any but the most destructive terms.
Clearly, there are among black prisoners many violent felons who deserve their sentences. They are men who rob, murder, rape and maim, making war zones of their neighborhoods. The presence of violent predators not only endangers the lives of law-abiding citizens, but it also ruins economic prospects. Down-at-the-heels neighborhoods have a chance at rebirth only when their streets are safe.
But America's criminal justice system does a poor job of separating the hardened criminal from the minor offender with a shot at rehabilitation -- especially if the offenders are black. Research shows that black men are more likely to be imprisoned for minor offenses, while white men are more likely to be given probation for the same crimes.
This impulse to imprison black men now stretches to include the man-child. Frightened by a few highly publicized juvenile crimes, politicians began imposing harsher sanctions on juvenile offenders in the early 1990s. Predictably, the lash has fallen more frequently on black and brown boys than white.
Among young people who have never been to a juvenile prison, blacks are more than six times as likely as whites to be sentenced by juvenile courts to prison time, according to a 2000 report, "And Justice for Some," issued by the Justice Department and several foundations. For those charged with drug offenses, black youths are 48 times more likely than whites to be sentenced to juvenile prisons, the report said.
It is now possible to visit black neighborhoods where most of the young men have disappeared, where families spend their Sundays visiting their incarcerated loved ones, where boys believe going to prison is a rite of manhood. Those neighborhoods cannot hope to offer their residents a route into the American mainstream.
The epidemic of incarceration ought to be the full-time preoccupation of every civil rights group -- indeed, every human rights group -- in the country. It represents a grave threat to the future not only of black America but to all of America.
Cynthia Tucker is editorial page editor for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She can be reached by e-mail: cynthia@ajc.com.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: bigbusiness; prisons; wodlist
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-94 next last
To: fight_truth_decay
Rev. Jesse Peterson addresses this problem regularly, he identifies the problem, and offers a solution. Cynthia should seek him out for some counciling. The solution would not make her happy, oh well she is never happy anyway.
21
posted on
04/18/2003 9:52:39 PM PDT
by
c-b 1
To: davisfh
Unfortunately, they commit a disproportionate number of the crimes. and they do the crime against their own people.
Comment #23 Removed by Moderator
To: hatfieldmccoy
The black people that do not have these issues are too busy working, and leading normal lives. The phrase 'black community' conjures up horrific images of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Al Sharpton NEVER fought against slavery in the Sudan. That is a LIE.
My sentiments echo yours. I've watched all of my childhood friends get pregnant in their teens, addicted to street reefer (pot mixed with crack),etc. My sister and I were the only girls to not get pregnant. I hear the whitey excuse all the time, and I'm getting weary also.
24
posted on
04/18/2003 10:05:12 PM PDT
by
cyborg
To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Among persons convicted of
drug felonies in state courts, whites were less likely than African-Americans to be sent to prison. Thirty-three percent (33%) of convicted white defendants received a prison sentence, while 51% of African-American defendants received prison sentences.
To: fight_truth_decay
I read something similar in Larry Elder's Ten Things book.
26
posted on
04/18/2003 10:08:11 PM PDT
by
cyborg
To: fight_truth_decay
The shame of it all is this:
Blacks are no more disposed to commit violent crimes than anyone else, the problem is their leadership.
Everytime one of these Black leader speaks, using the OJ defense as fact of a racist country, it gives license to another young Black man to commit a crime.
The "it wasn't me" or "you're only doing this to me because I'm Black" defense isn't working for them anymore. Accountabilty is the only lesson these folks need to learn, and it starts with thier parents.
They can change..It's just a matter of our society not feeling guilty for the "ills of America's past", and the two-bit, so-called "Black leaders" to shut the hell up and stop relegating young Blacks to the pitts of imprisonment.
Blacks are NOT the problem, thier so-called leaders and defenders are.
27
posted on
04/18/2003 10:09:18 PM PDT
by
Greenpees
(Coulda Shoulda Woulda)
To: fight_truth_decay
Two observations:
1) Cynthia Tucker seems to think the display of the Confederate flag is wrong. I would be interested in knowing how she feels about the First Ammendment spin-off that allows for the burning of the American flag.
2) In my community blacks make up about 15% of the population, yet account for over 60% of crimes committed. Are we supposed to look the other way just because a black committed the crime?
What is the answer? EDUCATION! And laws applied equally to all. I am so sick of the whining of liberals.
28
posted on
04/18/2003 10:11:41 PM PDT
by
redeard
Comment #29 Removed by Moderator
To: fight_truth_decay
nearly 70 percent of black children are born outside the bonds of marriage One guess as to how this came about:
liberal/Democrat/Socialist governmental welfare policies which penalized fathers for being part of the family structure.
The Democrats have terrorized families in America, by attacking men, encouraging women to raise children without fathers, encouraging free sex by free condom programs etc., encouraging deviant lifestyles as normal-- and no wonder these despicable policies have horribly affected not only the black community, but the poor white community (which is often ignored now-a-days).
And still the Democrats get people to vote for them. How? how do they hoodwink so many people?
30
posted on
04/18/2003 10:16:28 PM PDT
by
FirstTomato
("In the end,We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends" M L King)
To: fight_truth_decay
Yet you hear little outcry from civil rights advocates. Al Sharpton has campaigned against slavery in Sudan. Jesse Jackson battles gender segregation at Augusta National. Georgia civil rights activist Tyrone Brooks protests the possible return of the Confederate battle flag to the state Capitol. Maybe they should be preaching more about family values and the importance of Mom and Dad to children .. the importance of teaching their children a good structured family environment .. the importance of working harder at education and building a career and life for themselves
But then .. doing that would put Al and Jesse our of business
I can't speak for the black community, but I know there are better leaders out there then those two fools, I just wish they would speak out more often and get more air time.
Yes, I agree and realize that the crime rate among blacks is high, but it shouldn't be.
31
posted on
04/18/2003 10:17:44 PM PDT
by
Mo1
(I'm a monthly Donor .. You can be one too!)
To: cyborg
It is sad but instructive that the political enabling of the black community in the late 60' and 70's has been squandered by the highly visible ganster rap, crack, illegitimacy and race pimps of today.
To: fight_truth_decay
But the high rate of incarceration -- which is decimating the black working class -- is not the central focus of civil rights advocates. How could that be? What the heck can civil rights advocates do except tell black men to quit committing crimes?
33
posted on
04/18/2003 10:20:51 PM PDT
by
judgeandjury
(The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the state.)
To: green team 1999
Not always.
34
posted on
04/18/2003 10:21:50 PM PDT
by
wardaddy
(Hootie to head EEOC...)
To: ATOMIC_PUNK
If you look at school dropout rates, crime rates, use of drugs, illegitimate children, etc. -- all the measurements of social breakdown -- the dominantly black communities have suffered sharp declines, beginning about two generations ago. If you look at the role of black churches in their own communities over the same period, you see a double decline. The churches have become less effective, and the churches have taken the breaks off with regard to personal responsibility.
I'm not saying that the black churches "teach" or "promote" drug dealing, etc. What I am saying is that black churches have lost -- sometimes by their own choice -- the civilizing and healthy influence they once had. I should add that the positive influence of the churches to society at large has also dropped in predominantly white communities as well, over the same period of time.
But, Cynthia Tucker's focus was on the black communities. So, my comment focused on the same.
Congressman Billybob
35
posted on
04/18/2003 10:25:02 PM PDT
by
Congressman Billybob
("Saddam has left the building. Heck, the building has left the building.")
To: redeard
The answer is first nuclear black familys...then education.
We have poured stratospherics sums into our schools and those in question have largely gone to hell in a handbasket...look at DC.
It is very difficult to teach kids who have no sense of proper behavior. I know teachers who teach in predominately black schools. This is all I ever hear.
The demise of the traditional black family sprang from the same well as permissiveness in public schools.
There is a good reason that in predominately black school districts that only naive liberal yuppies send their kids there. Wealthy black sure don't. Every professional black couple I know here in Nashville send their kids to private school past grade school....same as I will...
I'd do it earlier but I'll have two in college at the same time and I can't spend 70-80K/year on school.
36
posted on
04/18/2003 10:30:20 PM PDT
by
wardaddy
(Hootie to head EEOC...)
To: Congressman Billybob
If you look at the role of black churches in their own communities over the same period, you see a double decline. The churches have become less effective, and the churches have taken the breaks off with regard to personal responsibility.
I'm not saying that the black churches "teach" or "promote" drug dealing, etc. What I am saying is that black churches have lost -- sometimes by their own choice -- the civilizing and healthy influence they once had. I should add that the positive influence of the churches to society at large has also dropped in predominantly white communities as well, over the same period of time. Because some have stopped listening to their hearts of right and wrong and started listened to the Liberal line
And that goes for white churches also
37
posted on
04/18/2003 10:31:41 PM PDT
by
Mo1
(I'm a monthly Donor .. You can be one too!)
To: hatfieldmccoy
I can say for certain the rap ghetto culture is a big part of it. I had the misfortune of going to a 'community summer camp' in Roosevelt, NY. Let's just say I knew what Howard Stern went through. I saw the downward slide then plateau. Sometimes I feel sorry for my kids and the many of the kids I live around. My mom and dad raised me with really awesome work ethic and educational values. Too bad most of the black kids were too busy making fun of my parents, instead of going to the library with me. Now it's different. I think people are getting sick of the liberal welfare pap.
38
posted on
04/18/2003 10:32:35 PM PDT
by
cyborg
To: wardaddy
I'd do it earlier but I'll have two in college at the same time and I can't spend 70-80K/year on school.
*Time to stretch the sea legs my friend... may I suggest community college to ease financial pains.
39
posted on
04/18/2003 10:34:57 PM PDT
by
cyborg
To: cyborg
Yes you may.
Or I better hustle up some good luck in the next 3 years.
I'm lucky really...where I live the grade schools are decent and in the neighborhood....after that ...no way.
Decent private school is around 10-15K after you add it all in...per child....I'll have two boys a grade apart.
Same for the girls in college. The oldest will probably opt for public college...nothing fancy...she'll want to get educated..party...get a job...find a decent hombre.
My younger daughter is smarter than I am...maybe 150-170 or so IQ and is very disciplined. She will be a professional to start...I have no doubt but her maternal drive will kick in. We'll have to see how it goes...if she wants it for real...I'll be there or my estate will.
I have a pediatrician friend who got married and has 2 children and now only practices 2 days a week...of course her husband is also a doc so they can do that.
Hell...my uncle who is a doc as well in Jacksonville, gets 18K for a 48 hour stint twice a month on weekends as head emergency trauma surgeon at the major hospital there. He stays at the hospital on call for 2 days and sleeps in his "relax room" between big emergencies. 36K per month for 96 hours/4days work....I could handle that...lol
He also teaches.
40
posted on
04/18/2003 10:49:50 PM PDT
by
wardaddy
(Hootie to head EEOC...)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-94 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson