Consider these excerpts from a Princeton University press release:
“Black applicants with no criminal record are no more likely to get a job than white applicants just released from prison, according to a Princeton University study of nearly 1,500 private employers in New York City.
The study, ‘Discrimination in Low-Wage Labor Markets’, was conducted by sociology professors Devah Pager and Bruce Western. It is the largest and most comprehensive project of its kind to date.
The study, which investigated discrimination against young male minorities and ex-offenders by employers, also showed:
o Young white high school graduates were about twice as likely to receive positive responses from New York employers as similarly qualified black job applicants;
o Ex-offenders face serious barriers to employment; criminal history reduced positive employer responses by about 35 percent for white applicants and 57 percent for black applicants.
However, even without a criminal record, black applicants had low rates of positive responses, about the same as the response rate of white applicants with a criminal record. Hispanics also faced discrimination from employers, but were preferred relative to blacks.
“The results of this landmark study are deeply disturbing and highlight the need for strong enforcement of the New York City Human Rights Law,” said Patricia Gatling, Commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, who collaborated on the study. York, it is illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race or criminal record.
The researchers will present the results of their study at the annual meeting of the American Population Association in Philadelphia on March 31 and are preparing a paper to submit to an academic journal.
‘Many people are skeptical that African Americans still face discrimination in the job market. But even in a diverse city like New York, the evidence of discrimination is unmistakable,” Pager said.
Since 1972, the US prison population has increased sevenfold, and that increase has affected black youth more than any other group. Research shows that black youth have a 28 percent chance of ending up in prison. About 60 percent of black high school dropouts will go to prison by age 35.
“Statistics from our study suggest that the use of discrimination against minorities and ex-offenders has significantly undermined job opportunities for poorly educated black youth,” Western said.
So racism is still alive and well in the United States. What’s new?
I’m not going to waste any more energy trying to convince or stop
racist to be racist. After 387 years of futile efforts by all
kind, I’ve concluded, as Ray Charles was prone to joke: “It’s what
it is.”
I am much more interested in developing successful strategies even if
racists don’t change. This does not mean that when we have the opportunity,
we must not help change, not even in the racists. I’m just from the position
that a person convinced against his will remains of the same opinion.
I admit all the depressing data: African Americans are disproportionately
incarcerated, whatever that means, and upon release from prison confront
huge obstacles to transformation. Jobs seem scarce. House plans appear often
be non-existent, and reality often seems to make recidivism a viable option.
option.
It does not have to be like that! Let’s do something different!
Let’s make entrepreneurship the economic option focused on criminals
who want to achieve transformation. Let’s develop the transformation
peoples! This is what I mean. Let’s partner with an organization like
UDI/CDC, which owns a huge industrial park in southwestern Durham County
and develop a first Transformation Village. Let’s not focus on trying
find work for people to live in the village, except as temporary work
“swells”. Rather, let us teach residents how to develop
successful home businesses. We can start this educational and
training process prior to release from prison. We can work with families.
and friends to fund this transformational education/training process.
In fact, let’s try this on a small scale just to get an idea.
Let’s take an ex-criminal, someone who clearly wants to walk the
an arduous walk from crime to contribution, and let’s put this person in a trap
with a home business as an affiliate marketer. let’s teach this
person how to run a successful affiliate marketing website. we go
Teach this person how to reach a large and expanding market with
patented products and how to take immediate and massive actions like
company owner.
Now, here is the key! How many of us, who say we want to see criminals?
transformed would be willing to buy products and services online
of this former criminal’s website?
Consider the potential numbers.
How many of us, for example, spend at least $500 a year on, say, Wal
Martin for example? Let’s say there are 10 of us who meet that criteria.
Do we know and would we be contacted say 100 other people each who
it also spends that amount annually at the retailer. that’s 1,000
shoppers, spending $500,000 a year in a store. You see, we are not
talking about new money, donations, etc. we are just talking
redirect the money we are already spending. Wal-Mart affiliate
marketing program pays an average of seven percent commission. That is
$35,000 a year in residual income from a single store.
Now, if simultaneously, we’re teaching this essential ex-criminal
knowledge in financial education, personal development and all other
skills that go along with becoming a contributor to the community, then we’re going to
They have solved the economic problem. Guess what? No racist had to change!
We can do this? If we can! We will do it! That remains to be seen.
Examine this suggestion closely. Find the flaws, if you can! Let me listen
your opposite positions. I hope to read your comments.