What I Learned

While completing this project, I learned that the African American community has been deprived of basic opportunities. Because of these circumstances, a high rate of incarceration has been produced. The main factor contributing to these events is poverty.
The progress of the African American community has been greatly ignored. The advancement of this community has been overshadowed by the violence and malevolent aspects that occur. This has lead me to the conclusion that people of the African American community has become bigger contributing factors than that of the derivatives that surround them. The lack of motivation to stop these horrific events is more than shameful. The deeds of Martin Luther King, Malcolm x, etc, seem to be irrelevant and forgotten by today’s generation. There is no effort to correct the situations that are happening now. In correlation to this, the next generation has been put in a position of disadvantage. The circumstances that surround the African American community seem to stimulate a negative vibe about African Americans. With Barack Obama being president, it is a more than evident proof that the African American community has overcome several obstacles. But just because this has been achieved, it does not excuse the violent acts that have been happening in the African American community. The rate of police brutality has increased. There has been a great number of police brutality cases reported in the last five years. The majority of these cases have involved an African American male in which in more cases than one they were murdered. The trial of these police officers has resulted in their release and no justice for the victim’s family. Events of these nature, should motivate the African American community to evolve instead they chose to react quietly. The African American community has progressed immensely but it still ahs flaws to work out among itself.

Defying Progress & Defining Evolution

The growth of the African American community has not been properly publicized. There seems to be a negative impact surrounding the African American community. High incarceration rates are not the only aspect that the African American community dominates. A high crime rate and violence seems to stem from the African American community. There are record number of murders, robberies, and gang involvement that exist around areas of poverty. In recent news, a great number of CPS students have been killed since the start of the school year in September. The majority of these murders have been assumed to be connected to gang involvement. The existence of gangs in areas of poverty has damaged the community greatly. It seems that “WE” seem to play a part in “OUR” own destruction. It is not all put on the government or the state of the environment. The African American community needs to evolve dramatically in the areas of economics. The mental aspect seems to be focused on just surviving. Because of this, people are just doing what they have to do to live from day to day instead of evolving and providing a better tomorrow for the next generation. There are a lot of changes that need to occur with in the community. The upcoming generations seem to be inheriting the perils of their parents. This curse needs to be broken and the attainment of a better education would contribute tremendously to achieving this much needed goal. Illegal activities are often the easiest to get involved with. There is also a shortage of jobs and programs that help people that are in these uneasy situations. But if there is no improvement of economic growth as well as mental growth among the African American community, then the generations to come will just become contributing factors to the destruction of their own race.

The Evolution Of The African American Community

Dr. Martin Luther King, a very famous and prestigious figure in the African American community, has found himself behind bars. The previously noted significant contributors were mainly focused on poverty and the depravation involving the community. But the contributing factors to Dr. Kings’ arrests were concretely different. Dr. Kings’ efforts have greatly impacted the American people, despite race or culture. The background of the civil rights leader is clearly known among the African American race. So it is needless to say, there are more than aspects of poverty and unattained education that influences the rate of incarceration among African American males. There is also a high rate of African American men who were/are falsely imprisoned. In today’s society, racial discrimination still exists; these are factors that cant be ignored. Among these cases of false imprisonment, African American men hold a significant percentage of these convictions. Many people would think the accomplishments of the African American community would be enough to overshadow these conflicts. Despite the progression of our justice system, flaws still exists; like police brutality.

1. Sean Bell, 23 years old and New York resident, brutally killed by the NYPD( African American)

2. Emmett Till, a 14 year old boy, brutally killed for whistling a white woman( African American)

3. Bernard Monroe, a 73 year old retired utility worker, killed by police( African American)

4. Oscar Grant, a 23 year old male shot by police ( African American)

These are just a few stories that involve police brutality on African American men. In correspondence to these events, the African community retaliates with more illegal activity such as police assault. The focus of these problems in the African American community are not stemmed from them but outside sources { mainly authority figures}. Even though the mentality and opportunities have advanced in the African American community, there are still aspects in need of a dire change.

Credible versus Non-Credible Sources

Non Credible source

• I know that this is not a credible source because

• It doesnt have any known author

• It does not provide relative information to my topic

• There is do date provided to validate if it is recent

Credible Source

This is a credible source because

• The author used personal experience

• He took statements from other prisoners

• He used recent data

How This Influences The African American Community

I chose to write about this topic because being an African American woman, it affects me directly. I have seen the distress incarceration has on a family. As I previously stated, there are mental aspects involved as well as physical. These aspects are distributed equally among the family and the inmate. The African American community having a history filled with turmoil, these events affect the whole race. So many people have fought and died for the evolution of the African American race. Past generations have given up so much, to see future generations given opportunities they never received.

Even though the African American community has progressed immensely, there are still opportunities that are denied to us; these opportunities are not so publicly known. Poor education, poverty, heavy government assistance, and the sale of illegal substances, lie among some of the infamous offenses.The progression among the community are often overshadowed by the epidemics of poverty, violent killings, and the high incarceration rate. Not commonly noted, the men that are being incarcerated, ages 16-25, have families of there own. Because of their current state of living in poverty, they are dependent upon the profit from the illegal activity. When this is no longer available, government assistance in the form of Welfare or Food Stamps are sought. This provides further hindrance and contributes to the stability of the poverty rate among the African American community. In regards to the mental state of the inmate, worrying with the welfare of their family contributes to the state of mental turmoil. It is a recurring cycle. The individual viewed illegal activity as a way to escape the perils facing them but the consequences for doing such come with a much greater burden. In many cases this becomes a contribution to the consecutive visitation of many inmates back into the prison system.

What I know & What I Want To Know

Black men are more likely to be incarcerated than any other male of another race. While this statement seems exaggerated, behind it stands indefinite truth. African American males, ages 16-26, are the target group. There are several factors that surround the African American community that contribute to these events. Poverty, being the protagonist of the group, has a major influence. African Americans are often the dominant population of low income areas. The obstacles that correspond with areas of this nature, clearly being a disservice to inhabitants, are already inadequate. Due to the deficient level of education obtained or offered in these communities, very little opportunity exists. Because of these crippling components, many males partake in illegal activities. These activities are mainly centered around the sale and/or use of illegal substances. An increase in violence prevails, as a result. African American males are more frequently charged with felony counts than misdemeanors. Thus verifying the solemnity of the crimes. Having never being exposed to legitimate opportunities, many people would argue an alternative approach in these situations. If such measures are to be considered this would decrease the rate of incarcerations.
While these are the usual physical effects, there is also mental turmoil. Separation from family and depression are just some of the unfortunate affects. These factors are more likely to be overlooked and very seldom treated. This could be a valid reason for consecutive return to jail/prison. Being restrained physically does not correct these situations. Intensive Counseling/Therapy are often needed to avoid a consecutive return to jail/prison. This is mainly because of the individuals lack of knowledge and exposure. Many African Americans are not familiar with the opportunities available to them because of the lack of resources in their communities. The high incarceration rates have many contributing factors and effect many communities.