Black Men and Boys in the District of Columbia and Their Impact on the Future of the Black Family

This document contains statements from a hearing held at the House of Representatives on the opportunities and challenges of black men and boys in Washington D.C., with an emphasis on how their job prospects affect their family life. Testimonials are given by academics, representatives of charities, and government agencies.

• Weak job prospects for black males increase the likelihood of incarceration; put strain on existing marriages and families; and make it less likely that men will marry, leaving single mothers overburdened and their children less likely to succeed. Tweet
• Black males have been hurt perhaps more than any other group by the decreased demand for unskilled labor and manufacturing jobs and the rise of the service sector. Tweet
• The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency of D.C. helps criminal offenders dissociate themselves from negative communities and create bonds with positive social institutions. Tweet
• Programs in Detroit, Houston, and Dallas partner with businesses in their surrounding communities and combine academic education with job training. Tweet
• School-to-work transition needs to be given more emphasis in programs; only a small fraction of inner-city black youth who graduate from high school in a given June will have a job in October. Tweet