Black Men In Prison

In 2003, 44 percent of state and federal prisoners were Black, compared with 35 percent White, 19 percent Latino and 2 percent other races.

Black men have experienced a startling reversal of fortunes in the span of one generation. In 1980 African American men enrolled in higher education outnumbered those incarcerated by a quarter million. In 2000, black men behind bars exceeded those on campus by 188,000.

Equally startling, the risks of prison incarceration rose steeply with lower levels of education. Among blacks, 30.2 percent of those who didn't attend college had gone to prison by 1999 and 58.9 percent of black high school dropouts born from 1965 through 1969 had served time in state or federal prison by their early 30s.

The problem of black men in prison is not going to be solved by government programs, church, or tougher sentencing by judges; the problem will be solved when Black men learn to build basic relationships that foster respect, honesty, trust, and consideration. Author JR Stewart addresses this problem in his seminar Becoming King. Any man interested in turning his life around may request a free copy of Becoming King at email:JRStewart@Openess.Com