U.S. murders involving young black males soaring

U.S. murders involving young black males soaring

www.reuters.com

DALLAS (Reuters) - Murders involving young black males -- as victims and killers -- have soared in the past few years, bucking national trends and underscoring the need for more spending on at-risk youth programs, according to a U.S. study released this week.

The study by researchers at Northeastern University in Boston said national statistics showing total homicide rates stabilizing concealed the worsening situation among black U.S. males.

"While overall homicide levels in the United States have fluctuated minimally in recent years, those involving young victims and perpetrators -- particularly young black males -- have surged," the study said.

"From 2002 to 2007, the number of homicides involving black male juveniles as victims rose by 31 percent and as perpetrators by 43 percent," it said.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 12/30/08 by FredT]

This really is too bad. I was amazed by the numbers, I thought they would be much lower. I think I agree with the Fox guy about community policing funds being cut. After taking a number of Criminal Justice classes I have come to the conclusion that community policing and programs for at risk youth really help to quell violence. I still am surprised by the numbers, they sure are high. What do you think the cause (s) are. There have to be a myriad of reasons.

www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The rap and gang culture mentality. That aside, many blacks live in impoverished areas and are abandon by local, state, and federal government. When is the last time you saw a local government trying to entice a business into the ghetto? Sure they could do more for themselves. However, it would also help if the government got more involved rather than giving out more money to solve the problem. It is sad that blacks, more importantly fellow Americans, are experiencing such a dilemma.

You can lay some of it at the feet of popular culture, but not all.

Its a failure of the society who tolerates it.
Its a failure of government who ham handed attempts to stem poverty have been abject failures.
Its a failure of the people in these communites to stop it as well.

We need to rethink how we are going to combat this. Throwing money at it has not worked.

I don't think throwing money at the problem is going to help, but I do think community policing is effective at stemming violence in some cases. I agree that there are some very sad trends in 'black culture' and that may contribute to a lot of the crimes we see.

[edit on 30-12-2008 by Raustin]

Originally posted by jam321
The rap and gang culture mentality. That aside, many blacks live in impoverished areas and are abandon by local, state, and federal government.

I've heard this nonsense before.
Police start enforcing law in "minority X" neighbourhood: The police (irregardless of skin colour or ethnic affiliation) are racist! They are discriminating against "minority X"! They don't do this to white communities.
Police 'abandon' "minority X" neighbourhood, with threats of a possible "civil rights" lawsuit: Crime is rampant in our community, but where are the police! The police have abandoned us!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

But what about the other races? If the "racist" local/state/federal government are "abandoning" blacks, then what about Asian-Americans?

Originally posted by jam321
When is the last time you saw a local government trying to entice a business into the ghetto?

Grocery closings hit Detroit hard

I don't see what the problem is really:
Race doesn't exist after all - so why don't Americans do what the French do and simply abolish all racial/race-based statistics?

That way you couldn't tell if black homicide rates were good or bad!

[edit on 30-12-2008 by Chaoticar]

Originally posted by Raustin
When you let your kids grow up with entertainers that promote killing and violence what do you think is going to happen?

we "let" our kids grow up with this????

how in the hell are we suppose to stop them when this crap is top of the pops? i'd be all for my kids listening to kylie minogue and britney spears but they're not interested in the least.

maybe my kids got their tastes from their parents? wrong again ... i grew up loving john travolta and olivia newton john and their father is a huge kenny rogers fan.

stop blaming the parents!

reply to post by ll__raine__ll


I actually just edited my post to remove that because I thought it was a stupid comment when your post popped up. I guess we're in agreement then!

reply to post by Raustin


indeed.
i would also like to add that ... despite their crappy taste in music ... my children aren't criminals, lol.

It's a true and unfortunate trend among youth that is more prevalent in lower income communities, which are typically composed of more minorities than average. It's a vicious cycle nurtured by a few elements within the black community, (the entertainment industry among them), but it's not limited by the color of ones skin as much as it is by income. For example someone I knew was killed at work recently by a 20 something white male that apparently had no job, house, or family. His situation led him to the crime, regardless of what led him to his situation. (*I'm happy to say he was caught on the run in Indiana) Again, it's unfortunate but true that on average more young black males are raised in a low income and high crime environments than any other group but the latino community.

[edit on 30-12-2008 by beaverg]

The poverty/low income excuse doesn't do it for me.
I know people who have lived in poverty and they don't turn to crime or kill each other.

I have a belief that poor people would be better served living in the country in the fresh clean air, being encouraged to grow crops or raise cattle and help to provide for themselves, etc, than somewhere like in a big city where crime, drugs, prostitution etc are around to take advantage of hard up youth.

reply to post by Flighty


I do agree that the low income thing is hard for me to buy as an excuse.

To raine, I had crappy taste in music too when I was that age and turned out all right. I'm not trying to be offensive, I just think sometimes it's a contributing factor.

Income has as much to do with crime and susceptibility to crime as anything else. In fact, Flighty even mentioned how people are more likely to be around crime in the high density and low income communities where many of these violent crimes occur. Maybe population density or rap music does have more to do with murder rates than income; But both pale in comparison to the availability of guns. (darnit...)

reply to post by Raustin


Give me a break!

You are wondering what could be the cause?

You folks think that the cause is rap and gangstas or something?

Or maybe you knuckleheads are with the group of folks that think that "black people" are just like that. Just so violent and stuff.

I haven't seen one post that mentions the reason that you would see numbers like that. Not even one. As a black american that's seen it all, and has no problems telling you the reason, I mean I'll tell you, but, if you're all that dumb then you simply won't listen.

Just one simple reason. So simple. Not difficult. One word:
HATE

Isn't that so simple?

If I walk outside they yell the "N*****" word out at me as I walk to the bus stop. If try to take a greyhound bus outta here, the security guards run up, grab me into a back office and torture me. The cops just say they can't do anything because they said I fit a description or some bull. If I go into the mall, the security guard runs up, guns drawn, asking "what are you doing here" (that was only like my second or third day here in Cleveland).

Do I really need to go on?

I go to work... does anyone say "Hi" to the black guy? No! How about the white guy? Well, not only do they say "Hi!" to him, but they grab him and kiss him and hug him and just love him so much they scream!

I was Salutatorian in high school... should have been Valedictorian, but a white teacher took points off of my grade because she claimed that someone said I did something in the class when she was not there.

Actually, she took points off of every black student's report card. Another teacher that didn't like black students put them all in detention.

How about everyday, everyminute torture for everday of your life??

You'll never get it.

You knuckleheads are making me late for work... see ya.

reply to post by MegaCurious


I think I was asking a legitimate question. The reason it was asked was that I think it's a travesty more isn't being done to help people avoid murdering/being murdered. These numbers are not normal, there is obviously a problem. A better understanding of the problem would lead to a better understanding of how to fix it. I don't think 'black people are just like that'. I don't judge by the color of skin, just by the actions of the individual. If you get the N word thrown at you, guns drawn all the time and are continually harassed, I think it may be time to move. In my neighborhood, no one cares about skin color, and if this was happening we would all band together to fight it. In no way did I intend to offend anyone, I was just hoping for some answers. I will concede that blaming it on music is rather stupid, and I agree that my posts were not well thought out in that regard. Blaming these problems on other people hating African Americans seems a little immature to me. I've known too many African Americans that raised themselves up by their bootstraps and never acted violent to buy that garbage.

reply to post by MegaCurious


lol, bo ho, I think the problem is some daft society showing you that if you got nothing then your worthless and a piece of scum. That can work for Black people, "white trailer trash", hispanics etc. Sort out the paris hilton crap and put ones worth back to the level of what skills you have and the rest will sort itself out.

Consumerism is a bitch ain't it. The sooner it falls from grace the better.

Robbery and murder are under bans. That's not working. Gun ownership by felons and usually by children is banned and in some of these cities banned for everyone. That's not working. Following the chain of government idiocy that enables this crap one would have to conclude the next thing to ban will be young black males.

Idiot parents (most likely sperm and egg donors since the term parents would imply an active nurturing role) create idiot children. You cant stop that with government. You change or effect the situation in any way with government.

Neighbors with the concept of dignity and self respect need to speak up though I doubt many of them exist anymore. Those who would speak up will most likely be accosted by the delinquents father or mother for "butting in" or "disrespekin'" then attacked, burglarized or killed by the delinquent in question.

It's a lost cause and I'm tired of wasted time, money and efforts. Build a big ass dome around the animals and let them solve the problem by slaughtering themselves with their own stupidity.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Make sure you get those who do want to better themselves and escape the violence out first before you dome them in.

reply to post by MegaCurious


I have a 23 year old son who is white who would often get harrassed by police back when he was a teenager.
Maybe because of your limited exposure to white culture, you may think that white boys don't get hassled.
Well I'm here to tell you they do.
It still doesn't make them turn to serious crime or shoot each other, so I;m none the wiser after your post. Sorry.

reply to post by spitefulgod


That is a problem isnt it. I left. A few of my friends left. Many are still there but not all want to be there, though some do. They enjoy living in trash surrounded by trash and talk of it like it's a selling point.

The best way for the people who want out to get out is to work hard, avoid everyone, save up every dime, even for years and finally leave. It took me about 4 years from the day I decided I was sick of it to get out.

Rather than blow resources on the people who actually enjoy living a trashy lifestyle maybe spend more time and effort getting the people who want out out.

Then they'll no doubt have ghetto relatives visit them on the outside and spread the blight.

There's no answer. I'm back to my giant dome solution.