The share of young black men without jobs has climbed relentlessly, with only a slight pause during the economic peak of the late 1990's. In 2000, 65 percent of black male high school dropouts in their 20s were jobless that is, unable to find work, not seeking it or incarcerated. By 2004 the share has grown to 72 percent, compared with 34 percent of white and 19 percent of hispanic dropouts. Even when High School graduates were included, half of black men in their 20s were jobless in2004, up from 46 percent in 2000.
Incarceration rates climbed in the 1990s and reached historic highs in the past few years. In 1995, 16 percent of black men in their 20s who did not attend college were in jail or prison; By 2004, 21 percent were incarcerated, by their mid 30s, 6 in 10 black men who dropped out of school had spent time in prison. In the inner cities, more than half of all black men do not finish High School. According to census data, there are about 5 million black men ages 20 to 39 in the united states.
Terrible schools, absent parents, racism, the decline in blue collar jobs and a subculture that glorifies swagger over work have all been citied as causes of the deepening ruin of black youths. Scholars and the young men themselves agree that all of these issues must be addressed.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Prison Rate For Black Men by: Becky Pettits
A university of Washington reseacher taking a different approach in the exploration of a familar pattern, has focused found that african american are more likely end up in prison then enter the military or gain a bachelor degree. The Research also quantified the commonly held impression that black men incarcerated at much higher rate then whites.
A study by UW sociologist Becky Pettit determined that african american men who reached their 30s by 1999 went to prison at a much higher rate then black men 20 years earlier. There also was a much stronger correlation between inprisonment and a lack of education for black men than white men, Pettit's research found. Research found that not only were black mens who reached their early 30s by 1999 almost seven times more likely to have been in prison than white men, but that 60 percent of black men who dropped out of high school ended up in prison.
For Blackmen with some college education, the incarceration rate remained about constant, following from 6 percent in 1979 to 5 percent in 1999, the study found.
While young african american men in general have attained less education than whites, the study suggests that other factors are also at play in their incarceration.
The war on drugs and other changes in the penal code, coupled with the fact that education is far more important economically today than it was 20 years ago, may have led to the huge diparity, she said. We are locking up0 men who are already disadvantaged at higher rates than 30 years ago, Pettit said.
A study by UW sociologist Becky Pettit determined that african american men who reached their 30s by 1999 went to prison at a much higher rate then black men 20 years earlier. There also was a much stronger correlation between inprisonment and a lack of education for black men than white men, Pettit's research found. Research found that not only were black mens who reached their early 30s by 1999 almost seven times more likely to have been in prison than white men, but that 60 percent of black men who dropped out of high school ended up in prison.
For Blackmen with some college education, the incarceration rate remained about constant, following from 6 percent in 1979 to 5 percent in 1999, the study found.
While young african american men in general have attained less education than whites, the study suggests that other factors are also at play in their incarceration.
The war on drugs and other changes in the penal code, coupled with the fact that education is far more important economically today than it was 20 years ago, may have led to the huge diparity, she said. We are locking up0 men who are already disadvantaged at higher rates than 30 years ago, Pettit said.
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