Murder Rate Up For Young Black Men
The number of young black men and teenagers who either killed or were killed in shootings has risen at an alarming rate since 2000, a new study shows.
The study, to be released Monday by criminologists at Northeastern University in Boston, comes as FBI data is showing that murders have leveled off nationwide.
Not so for black teens, the youngest of whom saw dramatic increases in shooting deaths, the Northeastern report concluded.
Last year, for example, 426 black males between the ages of 14 and 17 were killed in gun crimes, the study shows. That marked a 40 percent increase from 2000.
Similarly, an estimated 964 in the same age group committed fatal shootings in 2007 — a 38 percent increase from seven years earlier. The number of offenders is estimated because not all crimes are reported, said Northeastern criminologist James Alan Fox, who co-authored the study.
“Although the overall rate of homicide in the United States remains relatively low, the landscape is quite different for countless Americans living, and some dying, in violence-infested neighborhoods,” Fox said.
Seizing on President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming administration as an opportunity for more funding, Fox added: “There is an urgency for reinvestment in children and families. In essence, we need a bailout for kids at risk.”
Obama will be the nation’s first black president.
The study partly blamed Bush administration grant cuts to local police and juvenile crime prevention programs for the surge in crimes by young black men and teens. Incoming Vice President Joe Biden has promised funding to put 50,000 new police officers on the street to help bring violent crime rates back to a decade-long annual decline that began in the mid-1990s, after then-President Bill Clinton provided local officials with money to hire 100,000 new cops.
Nationwide, the number of murders and violent crimes overall dropped last year after increasing in 2005 and 2006, according to annual data compiled by the FBI. Overall, however, murders have risen by about 8 percent between 2000 and 2007.
The FBI reported 10,067 arrests in murder and non-negligent manslaughter cases in 2007. Half of the people arrested — 5,078 — were black. Almost 10 percent of black people arrested for murder were under age 18, the FBI data show.
The number of young white men who committed gun-related homicides also rose over the same period, the Northeastern study showed, but not as dramatically. In 2007, an estimated 384 white males age 14 to 17 shot someone to death, up from 368 in 2000.
The numbers of homicides committed by women and teenage girls — whether black or white — were relatively few, the Northeastern study found
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« Previous 1 2As I sit here reading these thoughts coming from my brothers and sisters. I realize how far gone we as a people have gone backwards. To sistah D I will only tell you that most do not have a culture. This country spent a lot of money and time to destroy who, what, and then take where we were natives away from us. It is no mistake that these programs are being taken away. You see if i take you away from being you then you have no culture. I am a Moor which as a people we are taught a culture from birth and in that culture I see what life is suppose to be. When you grow up calling yourself “Black” you start off learning that you are negative, less than, evil for these are the direct definitions of the word. Next they branded African American on you then showing not just you but the world how they feel about them. In order for this to stop people a people must first learn their natural culture. I had to say this but the church has even forgotten it’s culture.
We as a culture have lost our foundation. We have gangs and thugs that are destroying our existence. And our children have no desire to be educated. That wich has a lot to do with the parents. We need to stop critizing people like Bill Cobsy when he sent a message to us as a people. It is contsructive critisim, so take it and make do with it. I feel for the generation of today and the next to come, because they dont know where they have come from, let alone know where they are going.
I hope we can become more together as one as black people. It’s ashame how some black men are killing one another for no reason and some black women always trying to fight and put another black woman down. It really is nonsense and we so much better than that. We have the racist people of other races that put us down all the time and then we turn around and we turn each other down in our own race which results in brutal fights and killings. The racist people of the other races get the thrill and satisfaction when we fight one another and fight to kill each other. They absloutely love it and they feel we getting alot accomplished by wiping our damn selves off the face of the earth. Black people we need to get it together for real. I love and respect all of my black people but it’s ashame that it’s a greater chance of my own race attacking me before any other race attacks me. And most of the time it’s not even a logic reasoning. It could be because I have more money or because of my car or because of the way I look or sound makes another person of my race assumes off the back that I’m trying to act better than them and I’m a sell out. Please black people lets help and understand one another before we get easily angered and beat up or shoot each another. May I remind you people that’s why the white or asian people took the jobs out the urban areas because they knew we would turn on each other and fight, rob, cheat and kill each other. They end up putting more funeral homes, gun and liquor stores in our area because we die quicker because we too busy killing ourselves. Understand we fell right in the devil’s trap. It’s disappointing & hurtful. Lets get it together. One Love
I do not agree with the comment that was made by penthouseplaya. It is not always the womans fault would you rather a woman stay in an abused relationship and teach her son how to abuse. That only keeps the cycle going. Yes, the men need to be men but if they are not taught right how will the teach theirs? There are strong families out there but the system says you can not discipline your own kids. Sparing the rod is what is wrong with the families.
Dear Friend,there is no reason for murder.I believe that the way to curb this crime ,is for all sane black men get involved,and try to encourage young black men to get an education,because i believe education is the key that locks out murder.WE AS A SOCIETY seems to be losing roll models.
There is no excuse for murder. But for ever action there is an equal and greater reaction. If murder is the end result, what are the causes? Nurture vs nature? It is natural for men of any creed to exercise their natural instinct to “pump their chests”, but Black men are systematically degraded, their manhood stripped while transitioning from childhood into manhood,so much that a great number of them are lead astray into believing that nothing else matters but their ego, their reputation, their street credit, this idea takes place of their “manhood”. Would anyone look at a wounded soldier who’s battled several tours of duty and say, “Man up.” No! It’s called brotherhood, when you carry your burdens and the burdens of the fallen until they can carry their own—-in return you are awarded the Purple Heart for your willingness to be one being–willing to sacrifice so that two may survive. It’s easy to look at our Black men who mess up every chance they get and say, “They deserve it.” Psychologically, not everyone deals the same, and there are a lot of psychological imbalances in the Black culture period. Game recognize game, until we heal, we’ll never be “The Black Community”, but a “Dysfunctional Union.” Barack Obama is not God, is not the answer, but he is the tool. We can use this moment these four years we have to show our Black babies, boys, young men, fathers, brothers that he is the norm—not Biggie, Tupac, JayZ. We need to support our Single Mother’s, who are raising boys that one day should turn into men, as a family unit first before as a community. From family help is considered love, from strangers its a handout. We need Love, not philanthropic pity from strangers unless giving in love for the individual. Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs begin at home, How many of you uncles take time with your nephews? If you know what you didn’t have and how that hurt you, learn how to be that, give that to someone else in your family. That’s how you heal centuries worth of spiritual and psychological warfare on our Culture.
I Agree With penthouseplaya, the fathers do need to MAN up and Show there sons Right From wrong. I love my Brothers but they are serious working on my ever lasting nerves. You dont see white, chinese, spanish, etc. going around killing there kind… Wtf is wrong with you BLACK MALES… open ya damn eyes and realize what the fuk yall are doing… Yall got the Effin KKK laughing at yall, Why… Because yall doing there job For them… Sooner Are Later it will not have a effin black MALE soul walking this planet Earth! We Came a Long As Way from Slavery Days… & Niccas Still Acting like azzez smh!!! Guns Isnt The Way To Solve Ya problem… DO like how they use to do back in the day and use what God gave ya!!! BUT I LOVE MY BROTHERS but they seriously need to get there Acts Together b4 this world comes to an END!
It is really ashame, rap music and poor rolemodels I think has a lot to do with it. I know a black guy who people call him an uncle Tom and he is cool with that, he has less drama and is going far in life. Perhaps he figured it out, hang out with other races and experience other things this is a big world don’t listen to everybody else.
I’m sorry to say this but its no way u can stop this i mean u can only find ways to slow it down but u cant stop it these kids know right from wrong even if they got a single mother or had a f**ked up child the parents can only do so much its the kids decision to do right or to do wrong point blink if anybody disagree hit me up?????
the fathers need to stop bulls**tting and be men and the women need ot stay in the relationship and stop being flirty with other men and vice versa and thats the way to educate and keep these young kids outta trouble a strong family can weather any storm
I think what the problem is is that the economy is so jacked up with all these taxes that the Black mothers who are also single mothers have to be the father for our kids today so we have to go to work 9to5 pay rent,lights,gas,water,clothing,food,medical,dental,and other expenses that our kids need. When this is not met we are subject to look for something better most kids ask us as responsible adults for help and we ignore them because they are already labled as being bad where are the dads that when we were laying up it was good but now that reality has set in these so called fathers run. In the days of our parents their parents let the whole neighborhood get a piece of that…now we as the babyboomers lost that respect bcause we didn’t have it for our elders as we got older. Many kids these days look up to us so where are we going wrong in leading them. Superficial things make the world go around an if you are not grounded your head will be in the clouds and you lose your grounding. Where is the respect,love for human life.
When I was in high school, there was a big campaign to stop Black on Black crime. A lot of hip hop artists released songs promoting peace and unity.
Today, with the ghetto life and thug life becoming accepted and even pushed by the mainstream, it seems that a majority of Black youth think that being Black is synomomous with being ghetto and a thug. So they seek to live the life the rappers talk about. No one teaches them basic respect for human life.
Add movies where 90 people get shot, video games with criminal, violent plots (can u believe this crap? Grand theft auto? really?) and the youngsters think nothing of shooting each other.
Also, this young generation are the babies of the babies who had babies, when the teenage pregnancy rate hit epidemic proportions. These are the offspring of underpriviledged youth who have no clue how to raise children and instill all the wrong values. Where else could they go but down?
Black on black crime has always been a major issue,ever since I was a young teen.Now Im a 26 year old Culinary student in Colorado and I work everyday to change those statistics and make sure I don’t fall into that trap.The only way for others to avoid that trao is to become more educated on the world and what opportunities are out there for black youth.Beat the odds,because Amerikkka is not gonna let up on us just yet.
This needs to stop, we can’t live this way anymore lets rise and live above this kind of tragedy people! Hear our cries, please “Black” Kings and Queens we must uprise from this.
Yes this is so true. Black men killing each other. More black young men are beening these days because some have no home training. Parnets are not there for them.
Wow this is a strong fact. I don’t deny that is true, being a black sociologist and African American historian. I feel like these facts are laten to a already pre-exsisting problem that has plauged the education of our youth. It is just sad that now the facts are heavily being stated.