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Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

eurekalert.org

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Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#31

Post by munificent »

pertinhower wrote: post #19

I find this frankly implausible. What percentage of people you know have been arrested? I'm guessing very small (even assuming that many hide it and so you're knowledge is substantially skewed). So maybe that's because of your high/squeaky-clean socio-economic class? No: imagine yourself in any class you care to. Unless that class is much, much larger than your "real" class, then it would have to have an astronomical…

> I find this frankly implausible. What percentage of people you know have been arrested?

The narrow-mindedness of this is breathtaking. An article about a peer-reviewed paper containing basic survey results asserts something about the entire US and your response is: "Well, that doesn't line up with my circle of friends so it must be bullshit?"

> Unless that class is much, much larger than your "real" class, then it would have to have an astronomical arrest rate (80%?) to compensate.

Assuming you're in a "high/squeaky-clean socio-economic", then, yes, that class is much larger than yours. If you live in the US and make $100k or more (which is likely true for many HN readers), there are four times as many people who make less than you.

> I wanna see the data.

The article links to the paper (behind a paywall). If you want to see the data, get off your butt and look at the data.

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#32

Post by binarymax »

pertinhower wrote: post #19

I find this frankly implausible. What percentage of people you know have been arrested? I'm guessing very small (even assuming that many hide it and so you're knowledge is substantially skewed). So maybe that's because of your high/squeaky-clean socio-economic class? No: imagine yourself in any class you care to. Unless that class is much, much larger than your "real" class, then it would have to have an astronomical…

I know plenty who sat in the drunk tank in college, or were busted on minor drug or shoplifting offenses or other teenage nonsense. I feel that the number is plausible.

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#33

Post by bdcravens »

coryl wrote: post #3
byoung2 wrote: post #2

Nearly half of black males and almost 40 percent of white males in the U.S. are arrested by age 23, which can hurt their ability to find work, go to school and participate fully in their communities. An arrest by itself, without an accompanying conviction, cannot be used to deny employment. 1. http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/arrest_conviction.cfm#I

Do arrest records show up in background checks by employers?

I have a dismissed DWI that's still part of the public record.

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#34

Post by zem »

waqf wrote: post #8

Clarification: over 40% of young men in the US have been arrested. (It is ambiguous whether "youths" refers to both sexes.) (It is also possible to interpret the headline as saying that 40% of all youths worldwide have been in the US at some point, during which they were arrested, but I doubt many people were confused by that.)

i did initially interpret it as "of all youth arrests worldwide, 40% take place in the usa", but realised the number was probably a bit high for that.

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#35

Post by jobu »

pertinhower wrote: post #19

I find this frankly implausible. What percentage of people you know have been arrested? I'm guessing very small (even assuming that many hide it and so you're knowledge is substantially skewed). So maybe that's because of your high/squeaky-clean socio-economic class? No: imagine yourself in any class you care to. Unless that class is much, much larger than your "real" class, then it would have to have an astronomical…

I remember tons of people getting arrested for underage drinking in college - much more so than in high school where getting caught by parents was a bigger concern than cops.

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#36

Post by harrystone »

pertinhower wrote: post #19

I find this frankly implausible. What percentage of people you know have been arrested? I'm guessing very small (even assuming that many hide it and so you're knowledge is substantially skewed). So maybe that's because of your high/squeaky-clean socio-economic class? No: imagine yourself in any class you care to. Unless that class is much, much larger than your "real" class, then it would have to have an astronomical…

Offhand I can't think of any of my friends who haven't been arrested.

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#37

Post by chc »

opendais wrote: post #26
pavanky wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The right to be forgotten lies in a gray zone. Who is going to be the judge of what needs to be forgotten and what can stay public ?

Anything that might make someone unemployable that didn't result in a conviction or other defeat in court.

I should have a right to make people forget that I have a bad attitude, never shower and am prone to cursing anyone in my vicinity?

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#38

Post by Sharlin »

opendais wrote: post #5
_delirium wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Legally, no, but it's getting common for employers to Google-background-investigate potential hires, and arrest notices can come up in such searches, which employers may or may not put unofficial weight on. Though you might be better off in a big city. In smaller towns, this kind of administrative stuff ends up published: local papers, or even the sheriff's office directly, often put out an arrest blotter with the na…

Ya, stuff like that is why we need a right to be forgotten in the US. People tend to see an arrest and leap to conclusions. I say this as a person who has never been arrested. :/

You might also want to do something about those arrest rates. Treat the disease, not the symptoms.

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#39

Post by EGreg »

byoung2 wrote: post #2

Nearly half of black males and almost 40 percent of white males in the U.S. are arrested by age 23, which can hurt their ability to find work, go to school and participate fully in their communities. An arrest by itself, without an accompanying conviction, cannot be used to deny employment. 1. http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/arrest_conviction.cfm#I

Just to be clear, even if the charges are dropped, the arrest stays on your record. To get it expunged takes court motions: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/expungement-of-crimin...

Re: Study: Half of black males, 40% of white males arrested by age 23

#40

Post by klochner »

pertinhower wrote: post #19

I find this frankly implausible. What percentage of people you know have been arrested? I'm guessing very small (even assuming that many hide it and so you're knowledge is substantially skewed). So maybe that's because of your high/squeaky-clean socio-economic class? No: imagine yourself in any class you care to. Unless that class is much, much larger than your "real" class, then it would have to have an astronomical…

I believe it, most arrests would fall into:

  - truancy (skipping school)
  - petty theft
  - underage drinking
  - DUI
  - drug possession (mostly marijuana)
Now think about how many people you know who have ever done one of those things.
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