By Eric W. Siddall
Every year since the early 1990s, nearly half of all homicide victims have been black men. Given that African-American males represent only about seven percent of the U.S. population, their disproportionately high victimization rate represents a staggering and often-ignored figure.
Despite this disheartening statistic, there is some good news. Since the early 1990s, murder rates have dramatically plummeted. While the cause for this decline is debatable, the benefit is not. Black men, more than any other sociodemographic group, are living significantly longer lives specifically because of lower homicide rates.
Professors Patrick Sharkey and Matthew Friedson calculate, in more tangible terms, the benefits of lower homicide rates in their landmark study, “The Impact of the Homicide Decline on Life Expectancy of African American Males,” Demography (March 5, 2019). This study shows that from 1991 to 2014, the life expectancy of black men increased by 0.8 years, entirely due to lower homicide rates. For every 100,000 African-American males, this increase translates to an additional 1,156 years of life.
No other group experienced such an increase. Sharkey/Friedson calculated that this precipitous drop in homicide rates closed the life expectancy gap between whites and blacks by 17 percent. This development is an unsung miracle in the march for racial equality.
Despite this progress, racial disparities in victimization remain stark. Professors Sharkey and Friedson calculate that the homicide rate is 2.4 per 100,000 for young white men (15-24), in contrast to a striking 38.6 per 100,000 among young African-American men. Being a young black man in America is about as safe as living in El Salvador, a country devastated by gang warfare. We must do better.
In 2017, 7,851 African-Americans were murdered. Of that number, 4,756 were age 17 to 34. Comparing this figure to the analogous number of whites, 2,759, the stark racial disparity becomes clear.
The progress made since the 1990’s is now under threat. We are again seeing a rise in national homicide rates, although not yet approaching early 1990s levels. According to the FBI, murder rates increased 23 percent overall from 2013 to 2017, and the racial gap in these rates worsened. African-Americans experienced a 25 percent increase compared to a 19 percent increase for whites. In one year alone, from 2014 to 2015, the rate of murder victimization among blacks increased by 15 percent – nearly double that of white victims.
We still enjoy historically low murder rates, but the warning signs are clear. An increase in murder rates will disproportionately hurt young black men. If current trends continue, we risk erasing two decades of meaningful progress toward eliminating this unacceptable disparity in black and white men’s life expectancy. Dramatically changing or experimenting with our criminal laws – at a time when racial disparities in life expectancy are finally decreasing – should be approached with caution.
About the author: Eric W. Siddall is Vice President of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys, the collective bargaining agent representing nearly 1,000 Deputy District Attorneys who work for the County of Los Angeles.
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Read this says
Whoever wrote this nonsense article, needs to walk around the hood at night, he’ll learn a lot. It is what it is, nothing will change it. Criminals should be locked up regardless of their race.
Laughing says
The problem is there are not enough Carltons.
Happy go lucky smart guys willing to not live up to a stereo-type.
We need more Fresh Prince people
Give_me_a_break! says
Black males not only attack and murder other blacks, they also attack more whites, Asians and Latinos, than vice-versa. Yet, according to this author, we’re all supposed to feel bad because black men in America are predatory towards other black men as well as men and women of other races? Really?
Julio G says
Well it might have something to do with the fact that black people carry out more murder per capita with a majority of those murders being aimed at other black people.
Castle Bravo says
“an additional 1,156 years of life. No other group experienced such an increase.”
Wow, over a thousand years. That’s a long lifespan. Either they are Methuselah or you’re a person that doesn’t care about details. I hope you never prosecute me. But then, you probably are so incompetent that I would skate like all the other criminals, lol.
William says
SandraB. You must be the “good” Sandra here.
The other one lied about my comment history and when I’ve called her on it she disappeared. For good, I hope.
She might be back if I am critical of her beloved Hofbauer. And, I will be critical if he pulls some shady things. He won’t be able to help himself.
AV Illegal says
I notice they danced all around the fact that most black males are murdered by other black males. Instead they compare white to blacks, throw in El Salvador, and there you have it. Black males are once again the victims…….of their own race most of the time.
Justmeagain says
Lets just be honest and call it what it is and stop giving any race of people another reason to feel like their the victims. This is what keeps them from taking responsibilities for their own actions. Then to justify any issues their involved in they immedietly start pointing fingers at other races of folks or a failed justice system ran by white folks. You wanna do some statistics then do them on stuff that matters to whatever the problem is. Black males getting arrested, its not hard to notice what race of people are out late at night, every night, doing stuff that puts them in a position to possibly get shot, get in fights, and/or commit crimes. Where you’ll notice those races of people not at the top are people at home with their families, go to sleep earlier cuz they work the next day, and therefor not putting themeselves in those positions to possibly get pulled over, questioned, and getting arrested. I see it and hear it every night in my neighborhood. Weekends, weekdays, all day and all night. Groups of folks hanging outside with their music bumping. smoking dope outside, drinking beers, and 7 out of 10 times an argument starts up, a fight breaks out, a gun is pulled out, occasionally shots are fired and/or the cops are called. And when the cops dont have anything to arrest them on, they end up shooting their mouths off until they piss a cop off and get themselves cuffed and tossed in the back of a cop car for being stupid. Im sorry but that has nothing to do with a failed court system and has everything to do with why theres so many more black folks in jail then whites. Want to learn how to reduce your chances of becoming a statistic, victim, dead beat, end up on welfare, in the court system and eventually locked up. Stop sticking your junk in everything that moves, find you a one good woman and stay committed to her, wear a condom if you cant afford a kid, get a job, then have a kid, stay home at night and be a good husband and father, be a good role model for your kids by going to bed early so you can work the next day, work hard or work smart and earn your money legally. Surround yourself with like minded people. If your broke you shouldnt have any bad habits. If you get stopped by the police, try talking to them the same way you talk to your Grandma. You aint gotta kiss their @$$ but at least give them a little respect and common courtesy. Dont talk back and if you still get harrassed (which i can almost guarantee you wont) but if you do then bite your tongue cuz your not sentenced on the streets so theres no need to add more evidence or charges by running your lips..Defend yourself in court to a judge. Thats how the system is set up. You do all i mentioned and i guarantee almost any person out their constantly running into problems or feeling like the white man is out to get you, all your problems will disappear and you will better your life in a matter of months. Hopefully by then you will start seeing things a lot more clearly. Like white folks couldnt hold you down even if we wanted to (trust and believe we aint even trying). You hold yourself down. And most white folks aint racist (we just get mad knowing a lot of our people backed your people up to end slavery and not all of you are taking advantage of the opportunities it brought you). And those that didnt are the ones now going around spreading hate towards all white folks, calling us racist, and causing even more problems between us. Despite what anyone thinks and im pretty sure i speak for most white people when i say, “We dont hate black folks. We dont hate mexicans, etc etc. Just follow the same laws we have to and take responsibility for your own actions like most civilized people do, we understand all races have a lot of unique things about their race that are different then other races and we respect that and dont expect anyone to change that about them. Fit into society, give back more then you take, respect everyone regardless of their skin color, and stop all the hate towards everyone. Cuz at the end of the day, we all are human beings. We all breathe the same air, we all have a beating heart, we all bleed the same, we all have the same basic parts that keep us alive for the most part. We all put our pants on one leg at a time (with a few exceptions), and aint a one of us that our @$s dont stink. Its no different then comparing lets say peppers. Some hot, some not, some red, some green, some black, some¹ers just like were all humans. Aint one of us any better then the next. We all have better qualities just in different areas which is what should make us all better people as a whole. We just need everyone on the same page to make this place more enjoyable for the short time we all have left on earth. Why waste what short time we have left as it is on hating each other.
Andrew F says
What a bunch of liberal clap trap. Blacks kill blacks…idiots like this want to always blame whitey…..when blacks whack blacks it’s just the herd being thinned out a bit.
Sandra says
The number one cause of death for a young Black man is another Black man. They have to stop killing eachother.
Whotheheck says
What does this have to do with El Salvador? You can not compare the two. The gangs in El Salvador are killing innocent people while the African American men are killing each other.
Yeah! says
Are you running for the Board of Supervisors, Governor or President? Justmeagain got all our votes!
Trumpist#1 says
I’m outraged at your hypocritical concern for black men as victims, when that demographic group (17-34 YO) disproportionately accounts for a huge slice of murder of black and non-black victims and other crimes. Too many are not victims, they are perps, and no amount of your bovis stearcus can deny that. Look at the percentage of black males involved with the justice system (as you politically correct hacks would say). I feel black males of that age are among the most senselessly vicious demographic groups in the country.
You prosecutors are useless and should have to get a real job, not parasite off the public tax money. Put criminals in jail instead of apologizing for them. Hmmmph.