Here are some sobering statistics to ruin your Tuesday morning.
A new survey conducted by the Crime and Delinquency journal report that a third of Americans are arrested by the time they are 23-years-old. Broken down, that means nearly half of black males and 40 percent of white males are behind bars by the time they reach young adulthood.
Not surprisingly these arrests have a negative impact on the individuals as hyper-incarceration in the U.S. stunts their ability to find work, go to school or fully participate in their communities, thus making the convict population their own community of second-class citizens in this nation.
“A problem is that many males – especially black males – are navigating the transition from youth to adulthood with the baggage and difficulties from contact with the criminal justice system,” said Robert Brame, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina and lead author of the study.
The study found that:
- By age 18, 30 percent of black males, 26 percent of Hispanic males and 22 percent of white males have been arrested
- By age 23, 49 percent of black males, 44 percent of Hispanic males and 38 percent of white males have been arrest
But when looking at arrest rates among women, there was little variation between races.
- At age 18, arrest rates were 12 percent for white females and 11.8 percent and 11.9 percent for Hispanic and black females, respectively
- By age 23, arrest rates were 20 percent for white females and 18 percent and 16 percent for Hispanic and black females, respectively
Interesting.
The next step, Brame said, is to develop an understanding of the economic, social and law enforcement factors that can influence arrests as well as what role gender and race play.
“As a society, we often worry a great deal about the effects of children watching television, eating junk food, playing sports and having access to good schools. Experiencing formal contact with the criminal justice system could also have powerful effects on behavior and impose substantial constraints on opportunities for America’s youth,” he added.
