New Vanderbilt Study Suggest: Black Men Live "Longer" When They Are Incarcerated???

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Comment by DJ FREEZE on July 6, 2011 at 7:56am

Church E.E.W. Jr.! Another huge point to discuss is after all the examples of the consequence and end result of their actions, why do black men (young black men in particular) continue to put themselves in compromised positions to be at the mercy of a judicial system that almost certainly will see them incarcerated. I am so tired of seeing our young brothers, our sons throwing the lives away chasing pipe dreams, quick gratification or some other form of DUMB ISH! And when it all comes down, they readily claim the same old tired cliche excuses that have been used for years instead of taking responsibility for themselves and thinking of the lives that will be affected other than their own. Broken homes and families is only a result of people making poor choices BEFORE they are taken away, not after. We have to learn to apply discipline, restraint and the examples of all that have come before good and bad, to make better choices and take responsibility for our lives so we no longer become statistics. 

Comment by E.E. W. Jr. on July 5, 2011 at 11:00am

That this would be the topic of a study is the issue for me. The fact that we do have so many black males in prison is the real problem, whatever the reason. In the last few days, I have watched 2 or 3 television  broadcasts involving prisons and the people who they chose, were another problem in itself. If they were in the right place, I do not know, but I don't know how they could live longer, with the rate of murder and assaults that they face on a daily basis. But, if you look at the whole situation, statistically this could be a true statement, although the facts are nothing to be proud of. I also agree with statements by April and Leslie. We gotta wake up as a people and raise our own young, not allow the system or prison to do it for us.

Comment by Rodney D. Smith on July 5, 2011 at 9:59am

So let me get this right.....this study is suggesting that there are benefits to going to prison! NEVER! I repeat....NEVER! Don't buy into this propaganda. This is not the first time a so-called elite educational institution has peddled grossly misguided information about the African American community to the masses and I suspect that it won't be the last. Make no mistakes about it, there are no benefits to the mass incarceration of people of color despite what this study is attempting to purport. One minute they will tell us that brothers leaving prison is the leading cause for heterosexual black women contracting the HIV virus at the highest rates, now they are pushing this non-sense. Oh and what about the fact that prison is one of the leading causes for breaking up African American families and communities. Also, what about the fact that Black ex-cons can't find jobs if and when they get out of prison. And when they are fortunate enough to land a job, they are paid the lowest wages. I haven't read the study yet, but I'm willing to bet you that it didn't take into consideration the effects that prison has on the children of incarcerated parents. Of all children, they are most likely to follow their parent into prison and that's NEVER good. So despite this study's efforts to create a pseudo-positive spin on prison and/or prison life, I submit that there are absolutely NO BENEFITS to prison. The African American community pays far too many grave costs related to the effects of prison. So any entity, institution, movement, group or person trying to pretend that there are benefits to a Black Man being placed in prison is a liar and an enemy to the African American community and should be treated as such. PERIOD!

Comment by Phillicia Humes on July 5, 2011 at 9:29am

I see flaws in this study.  One flaw is the implication that black men care so little about their health and that the states cares more - simply not true.  Men (OF ALL NATIONALITIES) are less likely to seek and maintain adequate healthcare!  The study, however infomatively flawed, is suggestive and full of innuendos.  How many years later are they still studying blacks. They just don't know what makes us tick and how we continue, as a race, to move forward.  No matter how slow the progress, we are moving forward.  McFadden and Whitehead said it best:  "Ain't No Stopping Us Now!!"  Why is it that the black race is studied and watched and looked at so closely for progress or digress?  Why is the spotlight always on the Black race so tightly?  What is it that is feared?  Is it our strength, our determination, our resilience, our power, our faith or what?  In any case keep watching, keep studying, keep wondering!!!

Comment by Edith on July 5, 2011 at 9:26am

I see several major flaws in the study as a whole. The statement that Black Men live longer in when they are incarcerated to me, is an insult to the race. Many black men are incarcerated because they have been falsely accused of crimes, many were victims of racial profiling and some are simply victims of circumstance. The thought that a black man could thrive better while incarcerated is true, but only because they are offered more freedoms and civil rights while serving time than they would if they were free citizens. When they get out of prison they fail to thrive because they are often unable to find employment because of their record and therefore are not able to afford health insurance, shelter, food or any of the other necessities of life. Black on Black crime is also a factor because, when they can't find gainful employment they often end up committing other crimes and end up back in prison. On the other hand, since the system seems so willing to save the lives of black men by incarcerating them this could mean that in the end the black man will rule again since, as the study shows, they will live longer and be stronger, healthier and hopefully more educated then they were when they went in.

Comment by Antoine D. Jennings on July 5, 2011 at 9:21am

The Devil is a lie. The day we began putting a silver lining on why black men make up the majority population in prison but as a culture we only make up 12% of the total population in this country. Is just another tool to keep the black makes minds impriosned. Let's not give in to this study, the same health disadvantages we have on the streets, we have in prison. To all my brothers, stop being anti doctor, go get a checkup, let's start taking care of ourselves.

Comment by April Moore on July 5, 2011 at 9:11am

As black people this should be a wake up call to us about our black males.

Comment by LESLIE CARTER on July 5, 2011 at 9:06am

Maybe they live longer because the streets can kill you!