The final discussion surrounding “Question Bridge: Black Males” at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center focused on black men and the legal system.
The panelists were John Klofas, director of the Center for Public Safety Initiatives at RIT; former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson; Van White, Rochester school board president; Mary Ann Wolfe, of the Rochester Area Child Abuse Network; and Simeon Banister, director of special programs at PathStone.
Klofas opened the panel with his perspective on the criminal justice system and how it contains racial animosity. But as more people are becoming aware of the systematic oppression, he said, they are working to change it.
An audience member asked about the effects of incarceration and was answered by the panel and by a previously incarcerated man. Wolfe said that “it is important to check on the mental health of those you may know in jail.”
The previously incarcerated man said that the effects are similar to a slave being released.
“You wonder if someone will ever deny you your freedom again,” he said.
This article appears in Nov 12-18, 2014.
But why is it…that young black men are incarcerated 3 times more than any other race …more so, why are the return to prison rates so high for young black men ?
Is it because of lack of education ? Or is it no job openings in Rochester Monroe County for anyone as well as young black men ? Is it lack of parental guidance during the early years of foundations to be built for young black men ?
I would like to know ? And, I also would like to know why Louise Slaughter, Mike Ciminelli, Maggie Brooks, Jeff Adair, Mayor Warren and more did not want to get involved that could have helped… would not meet with me this past summer to discuss adding two more Teen Empowerment centers on Central Ave. and Union Street North to try to intervene with young people of any color or race at the early stages ?