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From Deterrence to Development: Putting Programs for Young African-American Males in Perspective

NCJ Number
153807
Author(s)
K J Pittman; S Zeldin
Date Published
1993
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This paper argues that until there is a redirection of existing services to focus more adequately on the socialization and development of young people, particularly young black males, there will continue to be a sharp tension between societal expectations for black men and the generally unmet needs of black men.
Abstract
In order for change to occur, society needs to reconsider some basic assumptions underlying current youth-oriented policy: that society's primary responsibility is to deter and correct deficits among youth, that young people have little to offer their communities, and that young people have marginal attachments to society's values. A new vision of youth programs must be based on the assertions that youth development is an ongoing process in which young people are engaged and invested, and that youth development is marked by the acquisition of competencies in health, personal and social skills, knowledge and reasoning, vocational skills, and citizenship. Adopting positive youth development as a policy goal will require a full-scale acceptance and support for community-based youth organizations. 19 references

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