The incarceration rate for white versus black is misleading as blacks and poorer folks will often get more jail time where whites or wealthier folks will often be able to avoid jail time. They just recently changed the sentencing rules for crack cocaine more likely used by blacks versus regular cocaine more often used by whites to try and even up sentencing for possession. I'm also guessing police will target areas frequented by blacks for illegal drug use more heavily then places where white folks purchase their drugs and it is easier to catch black users then whites. I recently read in the news of a white lady working as a secretary for a law office had embezzled $120,000 from an estate and after being found guilty had her jail time and fine forgiven and received probation as long as she paid back the money she stole. I'm betting if that was done by a black man he would be serving a few years of jail time. Blacks are also more likely to get caught up the mandatory sentencing associated with the three strikes and your out law because they don't often get the same breaks as whites in their previous arrests.
No doubt many young black males do violate the laws more often then their white counter parts but I think their lower family incomes and lack of proper parenting and positive role models plays a big role in their troubles. I also believe children from less educated families tend to not do as well in school. So it easy to see where there become a vicious cycle where poor parents produce children that often go on to become poor parents leading to more and more children that have troubles in school and have more run ins with the law.
That is why I think it is very important to do all we can to get the message across to parents and especially younger parents just how important it is for their children that the parents try their best raising their young and pay attention to their progress in school. This goes for all races but I think maybe with blacks having Obama and other positive black leaders doing the talking would have a greater impact. To often young blacks look up to black rap artists and pro-athletes as their role models and they are not always very good role models. I understand blacks worry about having their weaknesses or faults exposed publicly as no one would. However we simply can not continue down the path we are on. It can only lead to more problems and increased race and class tensions in the future.
Many blacks are raised in poorer neighborhoods and tend to stay living there where the job opportunities are not as good as where most of us live. I think we need to spend more time and effort increasing job opportunities in these neighborhoods. I would also favor drug testing for welfare recipients with those flunking the tests to be offered counseling in order to continue to stay eligible to receive their payments.
