Crack Epidemic Replaced By Devastating Unemployment Rate
- By Laquisha Cook
- Published 11/25/2009
- Community
- Unrated
One of the most devastating blows to ever strike the Black community was the crack epidemic which was prevalent between 1983 through 1990. It ran rampant through inner-city neighborhoods and the impact left a catastrophic aftermath. But yet another epidemic for African-Americans have always been the extreme high rates of unemployment.
Employment for Black men has not increased and with the on going recession, chances are, it will not increase any time soon. Like the epidemics of crack, unemployment has hit the Black community very hard with lasting effects, specifically for our Black men.
The parallels are stunning. Crack led to the destruction of families and communities; the murder rate soared because of warring gangs fighting over turfs, ravishing Black communities. The lingering effects of the drug were homelessness, addiction, theft, robbery and imprisonment. It left a lasting legacy. Some suggest the CIA contributed to the rise of the epidemic, knowingly allowing cocaine to be shipped into major cities and ports.
You may recall that cocaine was mostly a drug found in the White, upper “well-to-do” communities, but in 1983 it became increasingly accessible for youth. They could purchase crack cocaine for $10 or less and it could be smoked as opposed to its more expensive counter-part “powder cocaine” which sold for $200 a gram and about $6000 an ounce.
Now Black, middle and lower class persons could afford a purer and more potent, highly-addictive form of cocaine. This marked the beginning of a downward cycle for Blacks and our neighborhoods.
Blacks constitute 38 percent of all drug arrests and 59 percent of convicted drug offenses. African-American men accounted for the majority of crack users and 81 percent of those arrested were sentenced for crack cocaine offenses. It is an on going saga; the chain has yet to be broken.
Many speculate the CIA conspired to target Black neighborhoods, and even purposely sold cocaine to young Black men who in turn sold it within the inner cities. If allegations could be proven accurate, this is comparable in some ways to the Holocaust, the genocide of approximately six million European Jews caused by a program of systematic state-sponsored extermination by Nazi Germany.
Although crack in most cases, did not kill an individual instantly, it killed community cohesiveness, unity and progression. It also wrecked the community’s social fabric.
Traces of the crack epidemic still lingers on the streets but just when we started to recover another wave of destruction hit—the infamous unemployment rate of Black men. The number of employed Black women and low-skilled women in the labor market has increased in the last 20 years. Women account for more then half of African- Americans in the labor force but Black men still seem to remain behind.
In fact according to an article from the Center for American Progress, “Weathering the Storm: Black Men in the Recession”, unemployment rate for Black men has risen to 15.4 percent in this recession. Judge Oswald Scott, who is also the author of “The Promise: A Black Man’s Guide to Money, Power and Respect,” commented “Black men who do not have education and/or skills—their opportunities are dwindling.”
Unemployment among Black men in disproportionately high numbers stems from the facts that many young Black men between ages 18-24 are in jail, not enough education, the lack of training and the always present prejudicial attitudes of those who do the hiring. Black men not only leading in unemployment in comparison with every other race, but also in gender comparison.
But much like in the manner crime rose after the introduction of crack, the country is already seeing signs that crime is escalating due to the continued of joblessness. Especially among Black Americans.
You can argue the lack of morals and values, however the reality is, high unemployment rates among African-American men leads to crime because they do not see any other way out. Many unemployed males still want to provide for their families and households, and feel that “a quick dollar better than no dollar.”
Unfortunately, they do not think about the victims of their crimes, nor do they believe that they will get caught. And woe to the Black felon. Of course prisons are for rehabilitation or the chance for one to be molded into a productive citizen but it is unlikely that many will find a job. “For Black men with police records, it is almost impossible for them to find jobs,” said Judge Scott. So in fact, how can we call jail or prison rehabilitation? These men feel they are forced to find other ways to attain money.”
Although this may be a valid argument, Scott continued, “People who commit crime ... commit crime. It is not like Black people were living high-on-the-hog. We always had to struggle.” The solution is to increase education and skills. Also look for areas where there happens to be growth and acquire skills in that area. Blacks should become business owners and operate their own businesses,” Scott concluded.
Black men are increasingly becoming disconnected with mainstream society but as Haki R. Madhubuti said, “Young Black men can either represent a positive progressive force or one that just continues to react to crisis after crisis.”
Employment for Black men has not increased and with the on going recession, chances are, it will not increase any time soon. Like the epidemics of crack, unemployment has hit the Black community very hard with lasting effects, specifically for our Black men.
The parallels are stunning. Crack led to the destruction of families and communities; the murder rate soared because of warring gangs fighting over turfs, ravishing Black communities. The lingering effects of the drug were homelessness, addiction, theft, robbery and imprisonment. It left a lasting legacy. Some suggest the CIA contributed to the rise of the epidemic, knowingly allowing cocaine to be shipped into major cities and ports.
You may recall that cocaine was mostly a drug found in the White, upper “well-to-do” communities, but in 1983 it became increasingly accessible for youth. They could purchase crack cocaine for $10 or less and it could be smoked as opposed to its more expensive counter-part “powder cocaine” which sold for $200 a gram and about $6000 an ounce.
Now Black, middle and lower class persons could afford a purer and more potent, highly-addictive form of cocaine. This marked the beginning of a downward cycle for Blacks and our neighborhoods.
Blacks constitute 38 percent of all drug arrests and 59 percent of convicted drug offenses. African-American men accounted for the majority of crack users and 81 percent of those arrested were sentenced for crack cocaine offenses. It is an on going saga; the chain has yet to be broken.
Many speculate the CIA conspired to target Black neighborhoods, and even purposely sold cocaine to young Black men who in turn sold it within the inner cities. If allegations could be proven accurate, this is comparable in some ways to the Holocaust, the genocide of approximately six million European Jews caused by a program of systematic state-sponsored extermination by Nazi Germany.
Although crack in most cases, did not kill an individual instantly, it killed community cohesiveness, unity and progression. It also wrecked the community’s social fabric.
Traces of the crack epidemic still lingers on the streets but just when we started to recover another wave of destruction hit—the infamous unemployment rate of Black men. The number of employed Black women and low-skilled women in the labor market has increased in the last 20 years. Women account for more then half of African- Americans in the labor force but Black men still seem to remain behind.
In fact according to an article from the Center for American Progress, “Weathering the Storm: Black Men in the Recession”, unemployment rate for Black men has risen to 15.4 percent in this recession. Judge Oswald Scott, who is also the author of “The Promise: A Black Man’s Guide to Money, Power and Respect,” commented “Black men who do not have education and/or skills—their opportunities are dwindling.”
Unemployment among Black men in disproportionately high numbers stems from the facts that many young Black men between ages 18-24 are in jail, not enough education, the lack of training and the always present prejudicial attitudes of those who do the hiring. Black men not only leading in unemployment in comparison with every other race, but also in gender comparison.
But much like in the manner crime rose after the introduction of crack, the country is already seeing signs that crime is escalating due to the continued of joblessness. Especially among Black Americans.
You can argue the lack of morals and values, however the reality is, high unemployment rates among African-American men leads to crime because they do not see any other way out. Many unemployed males still want to provide for their families and households, and feel that “a quick dollar better than no dollar.”
Unfortunately, they do not think about the victims of their crimes, nor do they believe that they will get caught. And woe to the Black felon. Of course prisons are for rehabilitation or the chance for one to be molded into a productive citizen but it is unlikely that many will find a job. “For Black men with police records, it is almost impossible for them to find jobs,” said Judge Scott. So in fact, how can we call jail or prison rehabilitation? These men feel they are forced to find other ways to attain money.”
Although this may be a valid argument, Scott continued, “People who commit crime ... commit crime. It is not like Black people were living high-on-the-hog. We always had to struggle.” The solution is to increase education and skills. Also look for areas where there happens to be growth and acquire skills in that area. Blacks should become business owners and operate their own businesses,” Scott concluded.
Black men are increasingly becoming disconnected with mainstream society but as Haki R. Madhubuti said, “Young Black men can either represent a positive progressive force or one that just continues to react to crisis after crisis.”