Even in the 21st century, racial discrimination and stereotyping continues to exist. Most minorities experience racial discrimination. However, Black men are more likely to be victims of police violence, racial hate-crime violence and urban gang violence than any other major ethnic group; it should also be known that homicidal deaths contribute to lowered life expectancy for African American males (Harper, 2009). Furthermore, Black males have the highest rates of murder in the United States compared to other male ethnic groups. Black men are affected by the issue of racial discrimination and stereotyping throughout every aspect of life. They rarely receive quality education. Our young, black men are stereotyped as lazy and unwilling to work. Therefore, they are left unprepared for college and the workforce. Many experts refer to this group of people as an endangered species because America is losing our young, black men at an alarming rate to violence, the criminal justice system and murder. . This issue really does need to be addressed before who some experts consider an endangered species may well be on their way to becoming extinct.
Young, black men are turning to crime in order to survive or to get what they want and feel deserving of. They turn to gangs for support, love and protection. Blacks are incarcerated at a rate that is nearly six times greater than Caucasians (Collica, 2012). Even more, Blacks rarely receive quality legal representation once they find themselves needing it. Often times, young, Black men are viewed as being guilty even before they see the inside of a courtroom. .
Many experts feel that young, black men are becoming an endangered species. Jails, prisons and cemeteries are being filled with African American men. We are losing this population at a steady and alarming rate. Our Black men make up 37.8% of those incarcerated in jails across the country and 36.5% of those incarcerated in prisons across the country (Collica, 2012).
