It’s no news that minorities (Blacks, Latinos, and Native Americans) are grossly over represented in the Illinois prison system. According to the U.S. 2000 Census reports on the Prison Policy Initiative, in the state of Illinois 0.3% of the Native Americans who comprise a mere 0.2 of the state’s total population 0.3% of them are doing jail time on a variety of charges.
The largest single racial group represented in the Illinois prison system is the Blacks. They make up 62.92% of the state’s incarceration rate but only 15.1% of the population. Whites command 73.5% of the state’s population yet make up 31.6% of prison inmates. State figures on Latinos were unavailable though they did make up 16.5% of all inmates in the U.S. prison system and only 12.5% of the total US population.
This disparity among Blacks is sadly understandable. The twin evils of racism and crime ridden neighborhoods are contributing factors in high Black incarceration rates. These statistics are fueled by poverty the primary reason why there are so many African-American males rotting in Illinois prisons.
According to a study by Christi Parsons conducted for the Chicago Tribune, “Black men end up in Illinois prisons on drug convictions at a rate of 57 times greater than white men, the most striking gap of any state examined by a new study of racial disparity in the nationwide war on drugs…” She goes on to say that, “…90% of drug offenders admitted to state prisons in Illinois are African-American, the highest percentage in the country, according to a report released…Five times more whites than Blacks use drugs” by Human Rights Watch, an New York-based organization that monitors human rights worldwide.”
These are the grim statistics. We know how ‘the race card is played. What can African-Americans do to offset this awful reality? Here are some suggestions:
Up until the 1960’s most African-American families were two parent households. I read somewhere that 53% of all Black homes are single parented. This writer growing up in a single parent home can attest that single moms have it hard in raising children boys especially. I was a particular hard case. My mother caught holy hell raising us. I was always in the principal’s office for violating some school rule or another. But I learned. As a 32 year veteran teacher I can say that the overwhelming majority of my students who came from single parent homes were the discipline problems. Only by the Grace of God did I miss jail or worse when growing up in a toxic environment. Many African-Americans weren’t as blessed as I was. Ours was a God centered home led by my iron-willed pro-education mother. Illinois prisons are filled to overflowing with young Black men less fortunate than I was. In Latino and Native American families the percentage of single parent homes are far less than in Black homes. There is a direct tie-in with fatherless homes and juvenile delinquency. Minorities must stress: Moral responsibility, Family and race unity, Education, and Hard Work or perish! The Black Power movement of the 1960’s gave a tremendous psychological boost to Black Americans. Sorry to say much of that surge of positive racial awareness has been lost. It is common knowledge that racial groups that take pride in who they are get respect from those groups outside their communities; ask the Japanese, Germans, Muslims, or the Jews. Another grim truth is that African-American and Latino neighborhoods are breeding grounds for crime, illiteracy, and sexual immorality. Not that all is ‘peachy-keen’ in white areas but quoting the high school teacher character in the movie Menace II Society who said, “The hunt is on and you’re (Black males) are the prey!” Society ‘lay’ (expects) for young Black and Brown men to fall prey in order to fuel the growing prison industry. ‘Forewarned is forearmed’ as the old saying goes. To ‘take it down a bit’ if your enemy is laying and waiting for you to make mistakes BEWARE AND TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID GOING TO PRISON. In short: WATCH YOUR BACK! STOP BLAMING THE ‘WHITE MAN’ FOR ALL YOUR PROBLEMS. As the late founder of the Nation of Islam Elijah Mohammed once said during a Savior’s Day speech, “We must to something for self…stop blaming the white man for our problems.” I agree that taken in an historical context the evil institution (slavery) and attendant colonialism is at the core of what’s wrong within Black and Brown society today. Now that we realize this Blacks and Browns must DO SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR SITUATION! Aforementioned only spiritual development, education, family unity will bring about desired change. Quit complaining and blaming. Start working towards moral, social, and economic improvement NOW!