Pubdate: Sun, 27 Jan 2002
Source: Gary Post-Tribune, The (IN)
Copyright: 2002 Post-Tribune Publishing
Contact:  http://www.post-trib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/827
Author: Steve Walsh
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/racial.htm (Racial Issues)

DATA ON STATUS OF BLACK MEN 'ALARMING'

INDIANAPOLIS - Black men in Indiana are at a higher risk for AIDS, 
unemployment, and ending up in prison, according to the Indiana Commission 
on the Social Status of Black Males.

It released a 2000-2001 report last week with conclusions from statistics 
that mirror many of the results the group has been tracking since it was 
created in 1993.

"We have some standout individuals but as a group, wherever you look, there 
is reason for alarm," said commission chairman Vernon Smith, a Democratic 
state representative from Gary.

Last year, black men accounted for 42 percent of the prison population in 
Indiana, while they represent only 7.9 percent of the state population.

While more whites are in prison over crimes against another person or 
property, black men make up more of the drug and weapons cases.

The report recommends more involvement by the community and schools in the 
nurturing of young black men.

The study found 17 percent of the kindergarten through grade 12 students 
retained in 2000 were young black males.

At the same time, of the 63,945 public school teachers in Indiana, only 482 
of them were black men.

"We have to do something about increasing the number of black men who are 
teachers, so we have more role models, more mentors," said Stephen Jackson, 
executive director of the Commission on the Social Status of Black Males.

Last year, the commission supported a bill that included streamlining the 
process of giving an alternative teaching license to professionals who want 
to teach in public schools, Jackson said.

This year the focus is legislation sponsored by Smith that would seal 
juvenile conviction records for non-violent crimes.

"Young people don't have the wisdom we have as adults," Smith said. 
"Oftentimes they are being used by adults to sell drugs and sell guns, 
because the penalties are lower. What happens when they turn their life 
around as an adult?"

The bill has a hearing scheduled for Monday in the House Human Affairs 
committee.

The Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males hosted the 
national conference in 2000 in Indianapolis and it is scheduled to host it 
again in 2002.
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MAP posted-by: Beth