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Nurturing Young Black Males: Challenges to Agencies, Programs, and Social Policy

NCJ Number
165315
Editor(s)
R B Mincy
Date Published
1994
Length
253 pages
Annotation
These seven papers examine the needs of young black males from high-risk settings, note the lack of attention to early adolescence as an intervention point for them, describe effective programs that offer them the same nurturing opportunities that others have to develop the competencies needed for adulthood, and make policy recommendations.
Abstract
The discussion notes that many young black men face substantial developmental risks due to high rates of poverty, nonmarriage, and dysfunction among their parents and neighbors. Nevertheless, most black male adolescents who grow up in inner cities complete high school and avoid crime, substance abuse, and other problems. Individual chapters discuss the goals of adolescent development generally, the specific challenges that black males experience, and youth development programs that help families nurture young black males from high-risk environments. Further chapters discuss social policy and funding, with emphasis on how policy changes needed to increase public support of programs for young adolescents might occur. The final chapters discuss ways for changing the way youth-serving agencies seek private funding, methods of changing the ways private sources provide such funding, policy changes needed to increase funding for young black youths, and recommendations for public and private agencies that want to expand youth development programs for black males. Tables, figures, chapter reference lists, addresses of successful programs, and author biographies