Do More Black Men End Up In Jail Than College?
It’s easy to disregard people when they say that the government is against black advancement, but when data shows that black men are more likely to end up in prison than college, you begin to think that there must be something to this theory. Why is it that more black men end up behind bars than in class? And if they don’t, why do we constantly hear that they do? It is easy for researchers and the general public to point a finger at incarcerated black men, but why is it that Americans believe that more African-American end up in jail than in learning institutions?
At a 2007 NAACP forum, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama said, “We have more work to do when more young black men languish in prison than attend colleges and universities across America.”
Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D. discussed the issue:
“Both President Obama and I brought our own unique style to the line. I was deferential and academic, while President Obama was passionate and eloquent. In contrast, many people, like Charles Barkley, are reckless and aloof when they use the line. Recently he told Bob Costas, “You know, we as black people always, we don’t have respect for one another. You know, we’ve got more black men in prison than we do in college, and crime in our neighborhoods is running rampant.” In full context, Barkley was using the line to justify the need for armed defense against black men.
However, just as a Jheri curl would be wrong no matter how you dressed it up today, the line “There are more black men in jail than in college” is wrong no matter how you contextualize, qualify or articulate it.”
Comments
33 Responses to Do More Black Men End Up In Jail Than College?
Leave a Reply
Follow Us!
WOW! This is great news! Now, for the disgusting part of this post. Everyone knows Charles Barkley is noting but an ignorant fool. He is definitely on the white man’s payroll.
I’ve printed this article and will scan it to everyone I know!
Finally something positive regarding our people. This has made my day!
CW
March 7, 2013 at 10:07 pm
OK, Hassan, now that I read your words, you are right. But, this article is a tool against those people (white in particular) who believe most of our men are in the system. That we are a bunch of no account, thug head, drug heads, etc. This article gives me ammunition and hope. Now, we have to decrease the incarceration number and increase the college one.
Keeping hope alive for my three beautiful sons!
CW
March 7, 2013 at 10:11 pm
This does not take into account the number of black men on probation, parole, or some other form of court supervision. Add up the total number of black men under the control of the criminal justice system, and the number is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH higher. Just because a person is walking the street doesn’t mean they aren’t attached to this system. Probation and parole are the set-up moves to ensure perpetual recidivism….
Hassan Hartley
March 11, 2013 at 12:47 am
So who do you blame for the black man who never had the ball to rais his kids.he never marries and go’s from hoe to hoe having daddy babies.Blame that on the white devil
Quammie
March 7, 2013 at 10:25 pm
The Hell’s Angles need to come to Detroit and Chicago and start to clean it up and give it back to the people that want to work and raise a family
Quammie
March 7, 2013 at 10:35 pm
What brought me to this issue is the statistics. I do not know whether the correct statistics have been applied to this situation so that we can make a good comparison of two populations of people.
The two populations we should compare are Black males who live in prison or jail and Black males who go to college and do not live in prison or jail. When one is in prison, usually, he or she is there full-time. When one goes to college he or she is there either full-time or part-time. So, when comparing the number of Black males who are in prison to the number of Black males who are college students we should use the records of the number of these males who are full-time residents of jails or prison to the number of these males who are full-time college students. Then we will be in a position to make a adequate comparison. Again, the statistic known as “full-time” is important. The correct answer of whether more Black men are in prison and jails or in college is something that I do not know, yet it should not be considered to be something that has been found until we label the “unknown” as being a comparison between something that is of two “full-time” population of people.
Olaniyan Adefumi
March 7, 2013 at 10:40 pm
Yes, the assertion by the Author is now true, thank goodness, but has not always been the case. In 2000 there were 791,600 black men in prison and 603,032 enrolled in college versus 1980, when there were 143,000 black men in prison and 463,700 enrolled in college. That is what helped start what has now become a myth. We all know that old beliefs die slowly and that is the case here. Let’s pray there is not another crack fueled epidemic as was the case in the 80′s that contributed greatly to the unfortunate change from 1980. The challenge now is to reach for percentage parity. That means a great deal of work for ourselves.
Dea. Stephen Johnson
March 7, 2013 at 10:45 pm
We have been bullied long time now. It is time for us to wake up. Let’s graduate from high school and may be go beyond so that employers don’t have excuse not to hire us. Let’s stop hooliganism i.e. baggy pants and showing underwear. Blacks in the 60s dressed beautiful. Let’s stop bad behavior and killing one another. Violence does not help us. Let’s seek use our strong muscles to aggressively find employment despite some of us have criminal records. There are jobs that don’t need clean criminal records: highway construction, drywall painting, carpentry, brick layers, trucking, delivery jobs, high rise construction, oil drilling, computer repair, ship building, airplane repair and building; assembly work etc. If we are denied jobs sue employers. Employers have to justify why they don’t want to hire us. If we don’t have the skills, let us train at 2 year colleges – six months graduation. President Obama has grants and loans for us now before he leaves office in 2016. Thanks God Boehner and Mitch will have been laid off from Congress. If we have unique skills and money we should start own business. Therefore you don’t have worry if you were in prison before. Stop the violence; else they will lock us in prisons.
Pastori Balele
March 7, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Really! I can’t believe I am responding to this nonsense. Stop kidding yourselves and wake up Black America, What idiot doesn’t know there are more Black men in prison than college. Go lay down lol
As for the Hell’s Angel’s “get a load of their name” LoL their older than my grandparents…I am a Chicagoan doing something about the young black men here and the problem but don’t take my word just STAY TUNNED and learn.
PEACE!
AquaBlu
March 7, 2013 at 10:48 pm
Try posting something positive about yourself. stop being a victim and become a victor. Quit wearing your pants showing off your dirty underwear and stop killing each other. The black race is broken within the black community and has nothing to do with the white devil.stop the blame and man up.
Quammie
March 7, 2013 at 11:21 pm
indeed.. tighten up.. WE LOOK horrible at times!..dont get me wrong.. we are NOT alone..
jg
March 8, 2013 at 5:12 pm
Also learn how to speak English correctly
Quammie
March 7, 2013 at 11:24 pm
What part of English did you not understand? Oop’s My bad, Like the cookoo’s nest that went right over your head.So what do u want to be when U grow up? Stay out of grown folk conversations. It is what it is. How tall do the wimps grow where you live? Who are u talking to and what statement are u responding to? Nothing you’ve said makes any sense dude. Go play in traffic better still go on face book you’re out of your league. So take your ball and go home. Really!
AquaBlu
March 8, 2013 at 3:50 am
The truth hurts. listen to the negroids on the news every day. Can’t speak basic English. I’m just telling a fact aquablu. It starts at home..teach the children and they will rise above it all..
Quammie
March 9, 2013 at 11:21 am
Have a conversation each and every with your young sons! When he brings something home you didn’t purchase and you know he has no means to purchase, confront him, take control, do not allow him to lie to you.
Check your son, before he gets out of control.
Once in a while show up un announced at his school, at the places he hangs out, while he is out, inspect his room.
You are the parent, protect and love the young man, you don’t have to beat him, you don’t need to be his best friend, you don’t need to raise your voice, you need to be a parent!
Then your son can by-pass prison and go stright to the university!
In case you didn’t know it, once in the prison system it follows you for the rest of your life, any time you apply for a job it pops up! That may well be the reason we don’t get hired! The first thing out of our mouth is racism, when the problem is your son is not trust worthy! The proof, he spent 2-5 years in prison for whatever!
James Johnson
March 8, 2013 at 12:34 am
Some very simple words to remember and keep in mind
genocide,eugenics and population control right in the masses faces.
Peter D. Slaughter
March 8, 2013 at 1:21 am
@ Hassan, Your right on point.
Corky Johnson
March 8, 2013 at 2:28 am
@olaniyan Adefumi, on the face of Dr. Toldson’s argument, without reviewing his entire research, methodology and findings, I have to agree there are many unknown factors needed to tell the whole story. On the other hand, Dr. Toldson’s findings may be right using aggregate numbers, however, he could possibly strengthen his argument by narrowing his study to only traditional college age students in comparison to the same age group in prison during a four year period (freshman year through senior year); broaden the prison population by including those within the juvenile system; and using only accredited colleges and universities, including community colleges and students studying abroad.
s'ann
March 8, 2013 at 3:27 am
There are at least 45 million African Americans, “blacks” in this country. At least 1 million are running through the prison system. The numbers for college are higher by default, but our so-called African American “leaders” don’t know much about our ‘black community’ and (unlike the Jewish community) do very little to protect, advise, or direct those of us who need it most! It’s no wonder many of our lives are in such disarray! But here’s the clincher. The Anglo-elite continue to control and manipulate our direction and growth in so many ways and will never allow us to gain the kind of direction and power the Israel/Jewish community enjoys! Our Anglo (sic) ‘benefactors’ will always conspire to keep us in a bad place and targeted for dark and secretive actions. Exactly where do you think you are after all? Who do you think we are dealing with? Do you really think that they stop doing the things they’ve done to get them this far?
Wizardg
March 8, 2013 at 4:38 am
I was told the way the numbers were presented were misleading. If you count all the black men in prison from the young to the very old, then there are more in prison than college. But if you count college age(let’s say 18 to 24) there will be more black men in college than prison. Also keep in mind if you start college at 18,by 25 or 26 you will be done with school with a masters degree. If you go to prison at 18, depending on the crime, you could be in there til you are 30. So this may skewer the numbers also. Now I’m not saying that our men are not unfairly targeted or that the incarceration rate is not something that needs to change. I’m saying that if you start something based on faulty info you will come out with faulty results
Latrice
March 8, 2013 at 6:54 am
I am suspicious of all stats that say most black folks are doing something negative. Blacl males have been demonized since their arrival on these shores. Much of what goes on today is an attempt to continue that demonization. The welfare system, like slavery, split up the black family and taught the black female to depend on the white government. Our men were emasculated because they could not get work for various reasons, not the least of which was poor education in the south and in the north. Add plain old discrimination and disaster loomed. Then came the drug epidemic. Principally, crack. Ever wonder why the white community is not due estates by drugs. They use more than blacks. Remember the hippie movement of the 60′s was predominantly white and dedicated to weed and pills. Do they all have records?
Then, there is us. Some of us play right into the cycle of failure the system has set up for us. It is intentional and many of us fall for it by a a accepting the roles that they have set up for us. Blacks have excelled in every endeavor they have been allowed to pursue. Read the history of the first race horse jockeys, Black Wall Street in Tulsa. Oklahoma , professional sports, medicine, the business world and yes, now the highest levels of politics.
Our growth has been retarded because unfettered it would have meant far too much competition for white males. We are as talented and gifted as any so called race of people on the planet. We need to stop being defensive and get in the game and start going after what we want. That starts with a good education. Yes, there will be resistance, but who had more resistance than our forefathers? The answer is not a gun, drugs or another babymama . We have got to think critically and use our substantial gifts to our benefit.
A Smith
March 8, 2013 at 11:42 am
@ A. Smith— all that you have written is so elegant and true—- the fact remain– that we don’t believe in us. Case and point; when the Nation of Islam advocated for self, and owned their own businesses, as well as schools, and tried to open a hospital, the resistance from the Black community didn’t help their cause. Now a many of us may blame it on religious differences, but I’ll subscribe to the belief that we have been trained to think we can’t’ do anything without looking for the integrating of white folk.
Education goes without saying– is an instrument that can be used as a vehicle to get you where you want to go. However, let’s be mindfull of who’s educating us, and for what purpose. Today there are a many educated Black Folk– many went to Ivy League Institutes of higher education. By the condition of things– they weren’t taught how to lead us Black Folk out of the state of dependency on white owned and operated corporation. Well hell; we have an educated black POTUS —- who’s not allowed to speak in favor of Black Folk in America.
My view of what Black progress should be; is for us to get a hold on our money– we have failed to execute the only respected equation in this WORLD of ours– THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE– MONEY. Now– how educated one must become to understand that if we get a hold on our WASTEFUL spending HABITS, AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO SUPPORT US– i.e.- buy gas from Exxon instead of Shell— know we can tell Exxon to support Howard University– know we can keep an eye on the curriculum- and make sure it’s geared to the demands of what is productive in society. So– until we stand up an demand all things that’s necessary to survive– we will continue in meaningless conversation- about how to live on our knees.
Peace
Phillip Battle
March 8, 2013 at 8:59 pm
Do you ever get tired of blaming. For once stand up and go to school,get a job and be a family man. Hey I can always dream…CHANGE YOUR LIFE ALL BY YOURSELF AND QUIT BEING A BOTTOM FEEDER..DAM! IF YOU SPENT HALF YOUR TIME CHANGING YOURSELF AND STOP CRYING VICTIM YOU WOULD BE THERE BY NOW..
Quammie
March 8, 2013 at 2:52 pm
Quammie you are right. we have to stop blaming the white folks for our troubles and stand up for ourselves. I have a wife and 3 kids that I tuck in bed every night and being a good father makes all the difference.
trayron smith
March 8, 2013 at 6:26 pm
Thanks trayron..
Quammie
March 8, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Of course there are more black men in college than prison. Moreover, if you count all the black men that graduated from college (and thus, are no longer IN college) and are out there working and/or retired, there would be a huge difference. You see, if you simply count black men in jail, you are counting some people every year for 30 years (because they have long sentences), plus another batch of people who are in and out and in and out all the time (your typical street thug). The college students are simply a snapshot of a point in time — for most it is 4 or 5 years, and they are out for life — and since a college degree is a “lifetime achievement” we ought to count all people with a degree each an every year, just as you count people with a life sentence in prison each and every year. If you counted that way, the numbers would be much farther apart.
me112233
March 8, 2013 at 11:43 pm
I don’t give a hoot what the percentage is that are in jail; one black person in jail is too many. One thing I do give a hoot about, some of the most law abiding men should be let out because of petty unjustified infractions. Upon release, they should at least have an opportunity to go to a trade school and learn to be a responsible adult and take care of themselves and others that are dependent upon them. Giving up on them doesn’t do anyone a bit of good. If anyone in government even cared enough about them being incarcerated for petty infractions, then they should seek to get them out. Just because some of them are in jail doesn’t make them a bad person; some just lost their way. Other’s are just too gone and should be where they are but still, that’s no reason to give up on them. There’s hope for most people.
ImNotThatBrainwashedBitchTheyTalkAbout
March 9, 2013 at 7:04 am
Pingback: ~ Re-Writing the Narrative ~ | Collective Sun
Statistics are very misleading because they are based upon a lot of differentials that sway readers one way or another. Not only are there too many African American men in prison, but the illegal, unjust, and racial tactics used to get them there are ludicrous! Slave plantations are no longer legal in the United States, but the penal and judicial plantations are. Regardless of how many of our Black men are or are not in college, the fact that far more than one million are somehow connected to the penal system cannot be disburse. Then comes the question, when do we stand up and fight against this racial injustice? If we are not part of the solution, than we are definitely part of the problem!
PastorMic
March 11, 2013 at 6:08 am
A HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE DEGREE ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A CHANCE AT GETTING A DECENT JOB. NOW, THE CORPORATIONS ARE THROWING ANOTHER WRENCH INTO THE PROCESS. “A GOOD CREDIT REPORT” EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A GOOD CREDIT RATING RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE, OR AFTER BEING UNEMPLOYED FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
DEBBIE
March 11, 2013 at 12:07 pm
There is a need of better understanding of the attacks on ourselves and the people that is doing the attacking. Willie lynch strategic information, and The protocols of the learned elders of Zion book. We must learn our enemy to understand what to do. First and foremost get back to the most high we are a spiritual people for a reason, a chosen people. Duet 28 breaks it down. Secondly study the protocols, and willie lynch tactics.Thirdly, understand that the black women is a victim as well and is brainwashed, she is not your enemy. Forth Men, the time is now once understanding is reached from the protocols stated above take action. Realize that your beloved lower extremity is revered and you must respect it. Meaning the way you tell your daughters to remain a virgin and pure you will do as such to your sons. It is over, the running around with a million women dropping babies every where leaving to be raised by black women that in turn become bitter, and seek child support and welfare is over. It takes two to make children and the blame is on both.
It is important to have self control and to not raise your sons letting him think it is OK to become a “player” it starts from home. Men, pull your pants up, it is not a fad and it is unacceptable. SWAG means Secretly We Are Gay! get it together this SWAG word was popular in Hollywood in the 60′s where they would use it as a code to set up gay orgies. Look it up. Get off the corner, pick up your sons that are on the other corners and LOVE them from the beginning. In order to do this you will have to love yourself first. Learn your true history. Not African American history which consist of MLK, X, Parks.. Start off with “Negro” tribes such as: From Babylon to Timbuktu by Rudolph R. Windsor, Hebrewism in West Africa. This book is a great historical book of our people from the Moorish empires, the Africans, and the Hebrew Israelites, like the Ashanti Empire, yes not all black people are Africans. There is a reason why we were sold as Negroes and not Africans. The enemy is aware of who we are, we just don’t. Psalms 83:3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.Learn All of the inventions of our people.
Disregard the church for all of them are 501c3 meaning tax exempt and get money from the government to teach certain scriptures leading you astray and taking your money. If you were actually reading the bible you would know tithing is food and not money! you are paying the pastors bills. The Church are being run like a corporation. Find out your church status and you will see. They are indoctrination centers just like schools. Stop all vaccination they are trying to wipe us out. Black Men once your study is done regarding your people history, learn your role as a man, head of house hold. teach your sons their history so they can be proud and have high esteemed of themselves, Lo you are the key to establishing order. There is a reason why all of your children; roaring lions in the prison systems and in the streets. For they are fearless imagine if they were steered in the correct path.
Isaiah 3;12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Teach your sons be with them always, make sure once have self awareness that they go to school and attain degrees in STEM, science, Technology engineering, mathematics, doctor, economics, Accounting, finance, land ownership, business. Only doing business with our people, hiring our own, investing on our own. A perfect example of how they use us is the hair industry where black women purchase but is not in control for the Asians shut them out completely. Mentor ship, dealing with getting our children off the corners and building them up especially if they are felons and is shut out from the system. Men once you realize the reason why we are in this condition is because you are not in your proper role (head of house hold) you will see no change. Remember back in the day most black families were married and the man was the head of house hold that is why things were economically better and there was more unity. Understand the attack of your people with the satanic music industry that is control by yours truly, your enemy. Men the importance of marriage in our community is crucial and bring stability to the declining nuclear family. It must be stressed as important and must be taught to your sons. Black women are more than hoes and gold diggers. Men complain about the wrong things you complain about gold diggers and when she goes and gets her own now you are mad why? that is because you know your role is of providing for your family and that is gone when she is climbing the corporate latter. Cant have it both, cant complain of gold digging then get mad when she gets her own because now her head is big and your feelings are hurt. So play your position (Provider)and she will play hers (nurturer) Please note this is for REAL MEN AND WOMEN, not for men who do not mind sitting playing video games while she works and take care of everything. Role switching is the reason for the demise of the nuclear family. Now if both partners are working communication is a must you both still have to know your role or discuss it as such and not make either party feel less than.
They let the artist get some money and the artist sell their own people out. Rap is not what it use to be and it is being used as a tool to destroy our people. Anyone that says that the music industry is not destroying our people is in major denial. The young children growing up hearing all day everyday “suck my dick bitch, smoke weed, drink, money over bitches, look at my gold chain, (straight coonery)with a tough beat is what they think is normal. Turn off the TV and see the gay agenda full blown. Do not tell me it is normal it is not normal, nor or you born that it way it is pure lust, and abomination. Now every show, has a “gay” character, your POTUS is fighting for gay rights over his own people. Now when your generation have kids their children will think it is OK to be gay because it is main stream. Just 10 years ago if a rapper was openly gay it was career suicide and now frank ocean is out and everybody is looking the other way? We need to wake up and understand why they are trying so hard to emasculate the black men and having the women wear the pants.
Now for the black women, you have to understand you have been brainwashed. First and foremost the black man is not the enemy. In slavery “massa” a.k.a oppressor in Hebrew,would take the strongest black man and destroy/kill them in front of the women to show who is in charge and your man cant save you, only massa can. Secondly study willie lynch to understand the destruction of the nuclear family. Thirdly understand that the feminist movement was not for you it was for the white women that was being oppressed by her man, not you. Black women went along with the nonsense movement which made you think that somehow your man was oppressing you. All the movement did was give you the pants in the relationship by giving you all the opportunities to make you “independent” and now you are complaining about being alone but have material things. Next up is welfare which furthered the destruction of the nuclear family by giving full support to the women if the man is not around. So that became the ticket with just popping out kids to maintain benefits while taking the man out of the picture. This furthered the cycle and a generation later you have a bunch of children running around making children and learning from children. Next up is stop being Jezebels. Stop going for those thugs, and no you cannot change or save them. The time has come to understand your worth. Love yourself first. If you know he will not be with you if sex is not involve, so be it. Stop giving it up so easily. That is why the man are so loose they can get it anywhere. Women stop being so destructive to one another. There is no sister bonds between women. If all women came together collectively as one and did not give it up so easily the game would change because the man would have to step up and change so he would be able to be with you. This is why marriage is crucial. Do not have children without being married and I am not talking about oh you got knock up so now you’re getting married.
Just because you have higher education does not mean you must disrespect your man. He is the man and must be treated as such. This is why black women need to know their role as a women and stop trying to wear the pants. Be a women, soft not weak, feminine, not slutty, wear a dress, shoes, do not be loud and ghetto like these project chicks. Love your man cook, clean, and rear your children correctly. If the man that you are with is a real man than he will love you take care of you. And no it is not weak for you to cook, clean, and nurture your man because if you love him it should be no reason to not do these things mentioned above. This is what has been lost our elders have not taught their children their position thus leaving them not understanding how to take care of their family. Opposites attracts, a guy is not going to want to date a female that is acting like one Understand your position and play it.Your man is the head of the house hold period it doesn’t matter if you have six figures and he is a bus driver if he is playing his role then he is your king and you his queen and you will respect him as such. There is no reason why he has to ask permission to draw money out of the account for whatever. A team is a team help one another remove the individualism in the relationship and you will see the difference. There is a reason why they are running to other types of women of ethnic background that gives them the respect, PLEASE NOTE I AM TALKING ABOUT REAL MEN.
Another problem is that women feel that if they are playing there position it is as if they are subservient and are less than. That is not true and if women cannot understand there position they will continue being alone with their degrees and materialistic means. Think about it like this, think of your major crush that you have had on whomever and remember the things that you would do for that man if they wanted you. Keep that in mind for the real man that is going to love you. Stop denying your children their fathers for the few that are actually there because your relationship failed it is not right. There are a ton of damaged girls running around with these boys looking for a father figure thus end up dealing with the wrong ones. If there fathers were there they would know just how special they are and would have the highest expectation for her mate while still playing her role as a women. Turn the TV off all of those reality shows that are depicting women as savages is damaging to the psyche of the young females growing up, it is not OK to watch and it is not entertainment. Black women understand we have two strikes against us already. We are female and black. Out of all of the ethnic backgrounds we are portrayed the worst. We have to rise up and understand our role as mothers, wives, women and know the importance of loving our man that loves us. Remember individualism is independence which is being single. Know that I am not rambling these are real solutions not just complaints which is what we really see. I am not hating I love my brothers and sisters and we must do better.
shield
March 11, 2013 at 6:51 pm
My heart screams ,thank you.for everyone on this thread please do not just read do your on research and then ask yourself the questions that you secretly hold in your heart.Study the past to better understand the future.Realize what we once were and destined to be again.Know that we are and will always be the guiding force for humanity and step back into your proper place.Re discover the greatness in all of us which is LOVE..
ISLAM……..
Charles
March 11, 2013 at 9:17 pm
You could read and learn about how to readily share your thoughts on how
to establish an organic garden. Newspapers also decompose fairly quickly, plus mix with your backyard soil.
turystawdrodze.pl
May 16, 2013 at 9:50 am