Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> WE'RE COMING TO YOU INTEREST
DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE AT HISTORIC
TURNER
>> WE'RE COMING TO YOU FROM
DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE AT HISTORIC
TURNER HALL.
THIS WEEK, BLACK MEN IN
PRESIDENT REAGAN SON, EXPLORING
THE CRISIS, CHANGING THE
OUTCOME.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AT
"FOURTH STREET FORUM."
I'M YOUR HOST TODAY, DENISE
CALLAWAY.
ONE OUT OF EVERY EIGHT
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES IN
WISCONSIN SOMEWHERE IN JAIL.
ONE OUT OF EVERY EIGHT.
WISCONSIN HAS THE NATION'S
HIGHEST RATE OF INCARCERATION
FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES,
NEARLY DOUBLE THE NATIONAL
AVERAGE AND 32 PERCENTAGE POINTS
HIGHER THAN THE SECOND WORST
STATE, OKLAHOMA.
WHY ARE SO MANY AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MEN IN JAIL, WHAT IMPACT DOES IT
HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY?
THAT'S WHAT MILWAUKEE PUBLIC
TELEVISION AND WUWM, MILWAUKEE
PUBLIC RADIO HAVE EXPLORED OVER
THE PAST SIX MONTHS IF A SERIES
OF INFORMATIONAL AND REALLY
PROVOCATIVE REPORTS.
WE'LL GRAPPLE WITH THESE TOUGH
QUESTIONS.
THE REASON BEHIND THIS EPIDEMIC
AND THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS WITH
OUR GUESTS TODAY.
LATOYA DENNIS IS A REPORTER AND
PRODUCER FOR MILWAUKEE PUBLIC
RADIO, WUWM 89.7.
SHE AND MPTV'S "BLACK NOUVEAU"
PRODUCER, EVERETT MARSHBURN,
HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON A
SIX-MONTH PROJECT EXPLORING WHY
WISCONSIN HAS THE HIGHEST
INCARCERATION RATE OF BLACK MEN
IN THE NATION.
THEY HAVE USED BOTH CRIMINAL
JUSTICE EXPERTS AND THE PERSONAL
STORIES OF INCARCERATED BLACK
MEN IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE
ISSUES AND TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
LOIS QUINN, Ph.D., IS A SENIOR
RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT
UW-MILWAUKEE'S EMPLOYMENT AND
TRAINING INSTITUTE WHERE SHE
STUDIES THE ECONOMIC CONDITION
AND WELFARE OF URBAN CENTER
FAMILIES.
SHE LOOKS AT THE EFFECTS
NATIONAL MARKETING STEREOTYPES
HAVE ON URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
DR. QUINN IS THE CO-AUTHOR OF AN
IMPORTANT REPORT TITLED
"WISCONSIN'S MASS INCARCERATION
OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES,
WORKFORCE CHALLENGES FOR 2013".
CLEM RICHARDSON IS A CLINICAL
COUNSELOR FOR PROJECT RETURN
MILWAUKEE, AN ORGANIZATION THAT
HELPS MEN AND WOMEN LEAVING
PRISON MAKE A POSITIVE RETURN TO
THE COMMUNITY.
MR. RICHARDSON IS ALSO THE
FOUNDER AND C.E.O. OF MANNA
BEHAVIORAL SERVICES THAT
PROVIDES WORKSHOPS ON GANG
PREVENTION AS WELL AS TRAINING
BOYS FOR MANHOOD AND FATHERHOOD.
HE HAS BEEN A MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE ABUSE THERAPIST FOR
MORE THAN 14 YEARS.
>> GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU
HERE TO DISCUSS THIS VERY
IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
ALL OF YOU HAVE SPENT
SIGNIFICANT TIME RESEARCHING AND
WORKING ON THE ISSUE OF
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE
INCARCERATION HERE IN WISCONSIN.
WHAT IS BEHIND THIS EPIDEMIC, IS
IT SIMPLY THE CASE THAT MORE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN ARE
COMMITTING MORE CRIMES, OR IS
THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S
BEHIND THIS ISSUE?
LATOYA, WHY DON'T YOU GET US
STARTED.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S SIMPLY
THE CASE THAT MORE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN ARE
COMMITTING MORE CRIMES.
I THINK IT'S SOMEWHAT A POLICING
ISSUE, RIGHT, SO YOU HAVE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOODS
WHICH TEND TO HAVE HIGHER RATE
OF CRIME, BUT THE QUESTION IS,
DO THEY HAVE HIGHER RATES OF
CRIME, BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE
POLICE THERE IN THE AREA ALREADY
DOING THEIR JOBS, OR YOU KNOW,
WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE?
I'M NOT QUITE SURE OF THAT
ANSWER, BUT I -- I FEEL
CONFIDENT IN SAYING THAT IT'S
NOT THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS
COMMIT MORE CRIMES AND THAT'S
SOLELY THE ANSWER.
>> LOIS?
>> I'VE BEEN DOING URBAN
RESEARCH FOR 45 YEARS.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, AND THIS IS A
SERIOUS ISSUE I HAVE EVER
STUDIED AND WHAT'S SO SERIOUS
ABOUT IT IS NOT JUST THAT SO
MANY MEN OF A GENERATION HAVE
BEEN INCARCERATED, BUT THE WHOLE
ECONOMIC SYSTEM AROUND THAT IS
MISSING.
WE'VE SEEN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE NOT
HAVE JOBS.
WE HAVE MANUFACTURING LEAVING,
WE HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF ECONOMIC
PROBLEMS.
WE KNOW CUSSED ON THE ONE SIDE
OF IT, THE PUNISHMENT, BUT I
SEE, WE'VE GOT TO BACK UP, WE'VE
GOT A VERY BIG PROBLEM IN THIS
COMMUNITY, IN THIS STATE, AND
THAT'S THE LARGER PICTURE THAT I
THINK IS FUELING THIS HUGE
DISPARITY THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
>> I AGREE WITH THE PANEL HERE.
I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY A
SERIOUS CRISIS, BUT IF YOU WILL
LOOK AT WE WERE AN INDUSTRIAL
CITY BACK IN THE DAY, SO PRETTY
MUCH YOU TAKE AWAY BRIGGS &
STRATTON AND A.O. SMITH AND
DIFFERENT AREAS ESPECIALLY IN
THE COMMUNITY WHERE I GREW UP,
53206 ZIP CODE, ONE OF THE
HIGHEST INCARCERATION RATES IN
MILWAUKEE, THEY TOOK AWAY THE
DIFFERENT JOBS, OK, AND SO THEN
DRUGS WERE INTRODUCED IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND SO SOME OF THE
YOUNG MEN ARE FACED WITH TURNING
TO CRIME AND DIFFERENT THINGS TO
TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILY AND SO
WHEN THIS CITY RIGHT HERE WAS
BASED ON INDUSTRIAL AND WORK AND
TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILY, THAT'S
NO LONGER HERE ANYMORE AND SO
SOME OF THESE MEN TURN TO CRIME
TO HELP TAKE CARE OF THEIR
FAMILY.
THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE, THAT'S
JUST THE REALITY OF IT, SO MOST
IMPORTANTLY, THAT'S WHAT I SEE.
I ALSO SEE FOR THE DRUG CRIME,
HARSH CONVICTIONS FOR THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUNG MAN.
COMPARED TO WHITE COUNTERPARTS,
WHO USUALLY GET TREATMENT OR
COUNSELING WITH THE YOUNG MEN,
YOU KNOW, SELL DRUGS, GET CAUGHT
WITH A GRAM OF *** OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY GET
HARSH SENTENCES.
I MEAN, IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE
TYPE OF DRUG, COMPARED TO LIKE
POWDER *** FOR THE WHITE
COUNTERPARTS WILL GET LESS TIME
COMPARED TO CRACK, ROCK ***,
THEY WILL GET MORE HARSH TIME
FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES,
SO THOSE ARE JUST ONE OF THE
ISSUES.
JUST LIKE AN ONION.
YOU KNOW, LAYERS AND LAYERS OF
ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH,
PUBLIC TELEVISION NO ONE IS
REALLY WILLING TO DISCUSS SOME
OF THESE ISSUES.
>> WE'LL PEEL BACK THAT ONION IN
OUR DISCUSSION TODAY, LOOK
FORWARD TO THAT.
BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT JUST WAS
ANNOUNCED TODAY.
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS ANNOUNCED AN
INITIATIVE CALLED MY BROTHER'S
KEEPER, AND IT REALLY IS
DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF
AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUNG MEN,
KEEPING THEM IN SCHOOL, AND
KEEPING THEM OUT OF THE PRISON
PIPELINE, BECAUSE THIS --
OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
HIGH RATES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MALE INCARCERATION IT'S NOT AN
ISSUE THAT SIMPLY IS LIMITED TO
WISCONSIN.
WE JUST HAPPEN TO LEAD THE
NATION IN THIS PARTICULAR
STATISTIC.
YOU GET TO BE ADVISERS TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR THE NEXT FEW
MINUTES.
WHERE WOULD YOU TELL HIM HE
NEEDS TO START WITH THIS
INITIATIVE?
>> THAT'S VERY INTERESTING
QUESTION.
WHEN YOU TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
THOUGH, I THINK A LOT OF THE
ISSUES DO GO BACK TO POVERTY AND
MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE ISSUES
THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY
ADDRESSED IN THE BEST WAY IN THE
PRISON SYSTEM.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO START
ANYWHERE, I THINK YOU HAVE TO
START FIRST WITH POVERTY AND YOU
HAVE TO GET PEOPLE THE MENTAL
HELP THAT THEY NEED, FOR SURE.
>> YOU'RE IN THE TRENCHES.
>> I MEAN, I WOULD START WITH
HEAD START, YOU KNOW.
WITH WORKING WITH THE KIDS AND
STARTING RIGHT THERE AS EARLY AS
6, 7, EVEN 8 YEARS OLD,
EDUCATING THEM ABOUT
MULTICULTURALISM, AND WHEN I WAS
COMING UP, WE HAD BLACK HISTORY
CLASS, LEARNING ABOUT THE
CULTURE.
YOU MENTIONED SCHOOLS.
DEFINITELY STARTING THE SCHOOLS,
OUR SCHOOLS ARE FLOODED WITH
WHAT, 30 KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM,
AND WE HAVE 83% WHITE FEMALES
THAT'S TEACHING CLASSES, AND SO
IT PLAYS A BIG IMPORTANT PART,
BECAUSE SOME THAT TEACH, ONCE
THEY TEACH AND GET THEIR
INTERNSHIP, THEY'RE GOING TO
MOVE BACK INTO THE SUBURBS, SO
THEN YOU HAVE THESE KIDS HERE
DEALING WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES IN
THE COMMUNITY.
YOU SAID POVERTY.
POVERTY IS THE DRIVING FORCE OR
THE ISSUE THEN, REGARDING CRIME.
WELL, HOW CAN WE EXPLAIN WHITE
COLLAR CRIMES, HOW CAN WE
EXPLAIN THE MAFIA, YOU KNOW WHAT
I'M SAYING, AND SO THERE'S
DIFFERENT COMPLEX ISSUES
REGARDING POVERTY.
POVERTY IS A MINDSET, YOU KNOW,
AND SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE
PERSON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU DO
HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN
THE INNER CITY THAT'S LIVED
AROUND TRAUMA, SITUATIONS THAT
MAY HAPPEN, BUT THEY STILL TEND
TO RISE ABOVE THOSE SITUATIONS
LIKE THAT.
AND SO I BELIEVE WE SHOULD START
WITH THE KIDS AND KIND OF WORK
FROM THERE.
>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE
PRESIDENT ELEVATES THIS
DISCUSSION TO THE NATIONAL
LEVEL, WHERE HE ALREADY HAS
COMMITMENTS OF OVER $200 MILLION
FROM THE FORD FOUNDATION, THE
ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THIS
DISCUSSION NOW?
>> I THINK IT'S -- IT'S CRITICAL
TO THE BIG PICTURE.
KIDS HAVE TO HAVE DREAMS THAT
THEY BELIEVE ARE POSSIBLE.
THEY HAVE TO SEE WORKERS IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IF THEY'RE
CONSTRUCTION, WHO ARE PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
IF THEIR FATHERS HAVE LOST THEIR
MANUFACTURING JOBS, DON'T COME
TELL THEM THEY CAN DO
MANUFACTURING.
THEY HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THEY
CAN DO IT.
SO IF THE PRESIDENT LINES UP
COMPANIES AND MORE THAN JUST THE
TOKEN HANDFUL, BUT HE LINES UP
COMPANIES THAT SAY YES, WE WILL
HIRE YOU, WE WILL HIRE THE
EX-OFFENDER,S, WE WILL ALSO HIRE
THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE THING I
LOVE ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY
HAVE NO TOLERANCE FOR HYPOCRISY,
SO AT THE BELIEVE IT WHEN THEY
SEE IT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE
TO START GIVING THEM.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR LIFE
TRAJECTORY.
THEY HAVE TO SEE IT'S POSSIBLE.
>> IT'S BEING SAID TO A LARGE
GROUP OF PEOPLE, THAT YOU'RE
IMPORTANT AND WE BELIEVE IN THIS
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET YOU
FALL BY THE WAYSIDE AND THAT'S A
MESSAGE THAT'S BEING SENT RIGHT
NOW, TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO
DON'T ALWAYS FEEL THAT WAY.
>> DEFINITELY EMPOWERING.
THESE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY
DON'T SEE ANY ONE MODEL THAT --
THEY DON'T SEE ANYONE GOING TO
WORK WITH A BRIEFCASE, YOU KNOW.
THEY BASICALLY SEE DRUG DEALERS
OR THE MEDIA, THE STIGMA IN THE
MEDIA, HOW THE NEGATIVE THINGS
ARE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
THEY DON'T KNOW CUSS ON THE
POSITIVE THINGS -- FOCUS ON THE
POSITIVE THINGS WITH THESE
YOUTH, SO THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM
THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL START
THAT, JUST STARTING EARLY ON,
YOU KNOW.
DUE TO THE PRISON PIPELINE,
BECAUSE FAILING SCHOOLS EQUALS
SUCCESSFUL PRISONS.
SO WE HAVE TO STOP FOCUSING ON
THE NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT THE
YOUTH, AND SO JUST EMPOWERING
THEM WITH GOOD PROGRAMS LIKE THE
PRESIDENT IS TALKING INSTILLING,
THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET LIKE
THAT UP AND GOING.
>> YOU'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT
IMPACT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO YOUNG
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY,
PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO
INCARCERATION.
POVERTY, A LACK OF JOBS,
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT IN TERMS OF
EVEN THE TYPES OF JOBS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE, MENTAL HEALTH SHALL
USE.
BUT -- ISSUES, BUT OTHER STATES
HAVE THOSE SAME PROBLEMS TOO.
WHAT MAKES WISCONSIN SUCH AN
OUTLIER WHEN IT COMES TO
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE
INCARCERATION?
>> ONE OF THE REASONS IS I
BELIEVE IS BALLS OF THE LACK OF
RESOURCES, -- BECAUSE OF THE
LACK OF RESOURCES.
LIKE I SAID, INDUSTRIAL CITY.
YOU TAKE AWAY THE JOBS.
AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS DON'T OWN
ANY AIRPLANES, BUT THEY CAN FLY
TO MEXICO OR LIBYA SOMEWHERE AND
GET DRUGS, ***, AND BRING IT
IN.
THE STUFF WILL BE INTRODUCED TO
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO I GREW
UP IN A TIME IN THE 1980'S WHERE
IT WAS GANGS, DRUGS, AND CRIME,
AND I DEFINITELY -- I WAS
INVOLVED IN GANGS AND DRUGS AND
CRIME.
I WAS INCARCERATED BEFORE.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IS WHAT'S
EVEN WORSE NOW, YOU KNOW.
AND SO YOU SEE A LOT OF
AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAT GET
INVOLVED IN THAT, BECAUSE IT'S
ABOUT MONEY, IT'S ABOUT TAKING
CARE OF THE FAMILY, AND THIS AND
THAT, AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS,
YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES
THERE.
YOU TAKE AWAY THE RESOURCES, CUT
BASKETBALL PROGRAMS, CUT BACK ON
SCHOOL PROGRAMS, CUT BACK ON
RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SOME
OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PUT KIDS,
YOU KNOW, IN PROGRAMS OR THIS
AND THAT, THEN SOME OF THEM TURN
TO CRIME.
YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT'S
BASICALLY WHAT I SEE.
>>
>> I ALSO THINK THOUGH, THAT
SOME PLACES, SOME STATES HAVE
BEEN MORE PROACTIVE IN THE WAY
IN WHICH THEY CHOOSE TO DEAL
WITH PEOPLE WHO SAY, HAVE DRUG
CRIMES, SO THEY MAY HAVE TURNED
TO DRUG COURTS A LOT SOONER THAN
WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE AND THERE
MAY HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, MORE
POLITICAL WILL THERE TO DO THOSE
SORTS OF THINGS.
>> JUST FROM A RESEARCH
PERSPECTIVE, MILWAUKEE HAS A
VERY YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN
POPULATION COMPARED TO THE
NATION, IN PART, BECAUSE OUR
EMIGRATION PATTERNS WERE LATER,
SO IT'S THIRD YOUNGEST IN THE
COUNTRY OF THE 50 LARGEST METRO
AREAS.
SO AT THE TIME THAT THE WAR ON
DRUGS CAME, AND IT WAS CLEARLY
TARGETED FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE,
WE HAD JUST -- THAT WAS THE HUGE
PART OF OUR POPULATION, AND SO
WE GOT THOSE NUMBERS, SO THAT,
YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SAY, WELL,
THAT HELPS EXPLAIN IT.
WE HAVE A VERY EFFICIENT POLICE
FORCE.
WE ENABLE OUR POLICE FORCE TO
NOW STOP BY THE CHIEF'S
ADMISSION, 500 CARS A DAY.
SO WE STOP YOUTH.
WE LOOK FOR CRIME ON THE STREET,
NOT THE SALES ON THE CORNER.
WE LOOK FOR -- BY STOPPING
PEOPLE WITH OLD CARS, AND --
>> THE STIGMA IN PLACE WITH THE
OLD CARS AND THE HOODIES, LIKE
TRAYVON MARTIN, WHO REST IN
PEACE, WAS SHOT AND KILLED WITH
A STIGMA.
JORDAN DAVIS RECENTLY SHOT AND
KILLED IF FLORIDA AND THEN YOU
HAVE THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN ON THE
SOUTH SIDE, DARIUS SMITH, SHOT
AND KILLED IN THE BACK FOR
TAKING OUT THE GARBAGE, SO THE
STIGMA THAT'S PLACED ON THE
YOUNG MEN BECAUSE OF WHAT PEOPLE
ZION TV.
I BELIEVE -- SEE ON TV.
THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION IN
MILWAUKEE, THE SEGREGATION, EVEN
IF YOU'RE AN ED -- EDUCATED
PERSON DRIVING A NICE CAR IN
CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY,
AUTOMATICALLY THE POLICE SHOW UP
OUT OF NOWHERE.
IT'S JUST THE COMMUNITIES HERE
NEEDS TO TALK MORE.
WE NEED TO REALLY TALK, STOP THE
STEREOTYPES, AND JUST REALLY
HAVE A TALK WITH THE COMMUNITIES
AND DIFFERENT CULTURES.
>> LISTENING TO WHAT YOU JUST
SAID, IS THERE ANY WAY, WHEN WE
TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF
INCARCERATED AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MEN IN WISCONSIN, AND THE ISSUE
OF RACE, IS THERE ANY WAY AT ALL
HOW WE CAN SEPARATE THESE TWO?
IS IT REALLY -- I'VE HEARD FOLKS
SAY THE REASON WE HAVE SO MANY
YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN IN
PRISON HAS LESS TO DO WITH WHAT
THEY'VE BEEN CHARGED AND
CONVICTED WITH, AND MORE WITH
ISSUES OF RACISM WITHIN THIS
STATE.
>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING
QUESTION.
AND I'LL TAKE THAT -- IN
SPEAKING TO POLICE CHIEF FLYNN
ABOUT THE ISSUE, HE WOULD TELL
YOU THAT THE MAJORITY OF CRIMES
IN MILWAUKEE ARE LOW CURING IN
THOSE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
NEIGHBORHOODS, THOSE ZIP CODES
THAT WE ALL KNOW, ONE OF THEM
BEING 53206, THAT'S WHERE THE
MAJORITY OF THE CRIMES ARE
HAPPENING, SO REALLY WHAT IT IS
IS BLACK MEN WHO ARE COMMITTING
CRIMES AGAINST OTHER BLACK MEN,
AND SO IN LOOKING AT THAT,
SOMEONE LIKE POLICE CHIEF FLYNN
WOULD SAY, ABSOLUTELY, IT'S NOT
A RACIAL ISSUE, IT'S AN ISSUE OF
WHERE IS THE CRIME BEING
COMMITTED.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL
COMFORTABLE IN STATING THAT YOU
KNOW, THAT I THINK IT'S A RACIAL
ISSUE.
I'M NOT -- I DON'T KNOW.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
NUMBERS, IT'S HARD TO DISPUTE
THAT.
>> AND THE CRIME AND THE DANGER
OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIALLY HAS TO
BE -- OUR CHILDREN HAVE TO GROW
UP, WHERE THEY CAN SAFELY GO TO
SCHOOL, YOU KNOW.
THERE ARE SCHOOLS WHERE YOU CAN
DRAW A CIRCLE A MILE AROUND
THEM, AND FIND A THOUSAND
ASSAULTS A YEAR, WITHIN A MILE
OF THE SCHOOL.
0 MORE THAN THAT, CAR THEFTS.
PEOPLE CAN'T RAISE CHILDREN --
CHILDREN CAN'T BE RAISED HAPPILY
UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE PROTECTION OF OUR CHILDREN
IS THE OTHER HALF OF THE
PUNISHMENT SYSTEM, AND BOTH OF
THEM HAVE SOME OF THE SAME ROOT
CAUSES.
BUT IT'S NO LESS IMPORTANT, I
AGREE WITH LATOYA TOTALLY ON
THAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO JUST SAY, OH,
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT PEOPLE
AWAY ANYMORE.
IT'S NOT THAT EASY.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
DR. KING SAID THAT, I LOOK AT
THE DAY WITH PEOPLE DO NOT LOOK
AT THE COLOR OF MY SKIN, BUT THE
CONTENT OF MY CHARACTER, YOU
KNOW, IN THE QUOTE, PANNED SO
BASICALLY, -- AND SO BASICALLY
IT'S PEOPLE STILL FOCUS ON THE
STIGMA.
LET'S DO AN EXAMPLE.
IF YOU PUT DRUGS IN THE -- TAKE
THE JOBS OUT OF THE SUBURBS AND
YOU PUT DRUGS IN THERE AND YOU
LUMP PEOPLE ALL IN ONE
COMMUNITY, WHAT DO YOU THINK
WILL HAPPEN?
YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD TURN TO
CRIME, AND DO CERTAIN THINGS
THAT'S ILLEGAL, AND IT'S THE
SAME THING -- IT DOESN'T MATTER.
POVERTY, DRUGS, CRIME, IT'S NOT
A COLOR ISSUE.
IT'S -- WE NEED TO FIND TOUT
WHERE DID IT START FROM, WHAT'S
THE MOTIVE HERE.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HISTORY.
SOME OF US POST-SLAVERY SYNDROME
THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
SOME OF IT IS POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS DISORDER DUE TO THE
TRAUMA AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE
HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE
COMMUNITY.
SOME OF IT IS INSTITUTIONALIZED
RACISM THAT'S SET UP IN THE
SYSTEM BY DESIGN.
THE NUMBERS DO NOT LIE HERE WHEN
WE LOOK AND READ, THE RESEARCH
AND STUDY THAT SUPPORTS WHAT'S
REALLY GOING ON.
A LOT OF THE YOUNG MEN THAT I
WORK WITH, I'M ON THE FRONT LINE
WITH, LOVE TO WORK.
SOME EVEN LOOK FOR JOBS.
THEY HAVE A DRUG CONVICTION, A
WHICH IS A MINOR CONVICTION,
SOME DRIVER'S LICENSES ARE
SUSPENDED FOR SIX MONTHS.
NOW, HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO THE
DRUG CRIME, YOU KNOW?
SO THAT'S A BARRIER FOR SOME OF
THEM NOT TO EVEN GO OUT AND GET
A JOB, BECAUSE THE JOBS ARE IN
RURAL OR SUBURB AREAS AND SO,
IT'S JUST REALLY HARD FOR THEM
TO GET THERE, YOU KNOW, SO SOME
DO COME BACK AND RETURN TO
CRIME, AND IT'S A LOT OF -- A
LOT OF IT IS THE CORE ISSUE THAT
THEY'RE DEALING WITH, ANGER,
RESENTMENT, FOOD ISSUES, HOUSING
ISSUES, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
CORE ISSUES, BUT PEOPLE LOOK AT
THE SURFACE OF WHAT THE OUTCOME,
WHICH IS THE CRIMES AND STUFF.
>> CAN I -- I PROMISE THE
CO-AUTHOR OF OUR STUDY WITH
DRIVER'S LICENSES WERE
MENTIONED, I WOULD RISE TO THE
OCCASION BECAUSE WHEN I CAME TO
MILWAUKEE IN THE 1960'S, WE HAD
FREE DRIVERS ED IN ALL THE HIGH
SCHOOLs AND DRIVERS ED WAS
CONSIDERED A THING YOU GOT IN
HIGH SCHOOL, AND THERE'S NO
QUESTION IN MY MIND, DRIVING IS
NOT A PRIVILEGE, IT'S AN
ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.
WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING ALL OF
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN MILWAUKEE
WITH DRIVERS EDUCATION.
BEFORE OR AFTER THEY DROP OUT OF
HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE 15,000 KIDS IN MILWAUKEE
COUNTY, 16, 17-YEAR-OLDS, 12,000
IN THE CITY, WHO ARE NOT
STUDYING TO DRIVE, BUT THEY'RE
TEENAGERS, AND THEY SHOULD BE
STUDYING TO DRIVE.
THE FIRST TIME THEY GET STOPPED
BY THE POLICE, THEY'RE ALREADY
DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED
LICENSE.
I THINK IN SOME WAYS, THAT HELPS
EXPLAIN WHY WISCONSIN IS NOW A
LIAR, BECAUSE THIS DRIVERS LIE
SINCING THING WE DO IS CRAZY.
WE DON'T LICENSE OUR KIDS, WE
PICK THEM UP, WE START TAKING
THEIR LIE AS SOON AS AWAY FOR
FAILURE TO PAY FINES.
THAT'S A FIXABLE THING.
THAT WOULD BE IF I HAVE WAS
TELLING THE PRESIDENT, MAKE US
DO SOMETHING HERE, MAKE US FIGHT
DRIVERS ED AND DRIVER'S
LICENSES.
AM I OVERSIMPLIFYING?
>> I'M NOT.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO PRISON
THOUGH BECAUSE YOU'RE DRIVING
WITHOUT A LICENSE, YOU KNOW, SO
I'M NOT QUITE SURE OF HOW THAT
PLAYS INTO US BEING AN OUTLIER.
>> WE -- THE WAY WE ENFORCE OUR
LAWS IN THE CENTRAL CITY, BY THE
KEEFE'S OWN DESCRIPTION IS, HE
STOPS CARS.
HE STOPS CARS AND HE LOOKS FOR
CRIME.
AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE A CRIME,
HE SAYS GO ON YOUR WAY.
BUT OF COURSE, IF THEY HAVE A
SUSPENDED LICENSE, THEN WE ARE
IN TROUBLE AND THEN WE START
DOING SEARCH HE IS.
WE LOOK FOR DRUGS, WE LOOK FOR
WEAPONS.
WE HAVE A DRUG CRIME, BUT WE
DON'T HAVE A VICTIM THERE.
WE JUST HAVE DRUGS WERE FOUND.
POSSESSION ISN'T ENOUGH TO SELL.
>> SO LOIS, YOU SEE THAT AS, FOR
SOME YOUNG MEN, IT'S A GATEWAY.
IT OPENS THAT GATEWAY AND STARTS
THAT PATH AND THAT PROCESS.
>> YEAH, IT DOES.
IT DOES START THE GATEWAY.
I MEAN ESPECIALLY WHEN THE
POLICE AND THE KIDS IN THE
COMMUNITY, THE RELATION, YOU
KNOW, COPS, THE POLICE COME IN,
DO ROLL CALL, RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF 23rd AND CHERRY.
THAT IS AN AUTHORITATIVE
APPROACH.
IF THEY'RE TRYING TO WIN THE
COMMUNITY LIKE IN THE BAY OF THE
PANTHERS IN CHICAGO, WHEN THEY
HAD BASEBALL CARDS, COME PLAY
POOL, BASKETBALL GAMES, IT
BUILDS A RAPPORT WITH THE
COMMUNITY.
THE MESSAGE IS WE SEND TO THE
COMMUNITY IS REALLY
INAPPROPRIATE.
IF YOU LOOK AT -- I SAW THIS
MOVIE, GANGS OF NEW YORK, OK,
AND IT WAS LEONARDO DICAPRIO AND
THEY WERE ALL INVOLVED IN CRIME
AND THIS AND THAT THE OTHER, BUT
THEY WEREN'T DEMONIZED.
THERE WERE SERVICE, RESOURCES
PUT IN PLACE TO HELP GET THEM
OUT OF THE BLOCK OR OUT OF THE
COMMUNITY TO PUT THEM TO WORK.
WHAT OUR BLACK YOUNG MEN, THE
GOAL IS TO LOCK THEM UP, SO WE
HAVE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE,
OK, IF WE REALLY WANT TO CHANGE
COMMUNITY RAND STOP -- AND STOP
DRIVING BECAUSE A PERSON HAS A
SPECIFIC DRIVING.
>> DRIVING WHILE POOR, DRIVING
WHILE RICH.
>> YOU SEE THE POOR PEOPLE
PULLING OVER, DRIVING WITH, YOU
KNOW -- SO THE ISSUE IS JUST
COMMUNICATION.
THE ISSUE IS BUILDING A
RELATIONSHIP AND BUILDING THE
RAPPORT AND BREAKING DOWN THE
BARRIERS AND SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT
WILLING TO DO THAT.
>> I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE
IS WE'VE KIND OF SEEN A PICTURE
THAT'S BEEN PAINTED FOR US WITH
A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE POVERTY
BEING A REAL FACTOR.
A LACK OF JOBS BEING A FACTOR
BECAUSE FOLKS NEED TO BE ABLE TO
EARN A LIVING, THEY'RE GOING TO
TURN TO WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO
FIND IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
THE WHOLE SHALL HUE AROUND
DRIVER'S LICENSE -- ISSUE AROUND
DRIVER'S LICENSES, WHERE DO WE
BEGIN TO START THEN TO ADDRESS
THIS ISSUE, SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE
TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT ARE
WE DOING WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT OF
PRISON.
WHERE DO WE BEGIN TO START TO
STOP THAT PRISON PIPELINE, THIS
PATH THAT SO MANY YOUNG MEN ARE
ON, THAT LEADS TO INCARCERATION?
WHERE DO WE START?
>> OK.
WELL, WE MEET THEM WHERE THEY'RE
AT, AND THAT MEANS, IF IT'S ON
THE CORNER, OR IT'S IN THE LOCAL
TAVERN OR WHATEVER, OR THE
SCHOOLS, IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS,
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS, BASKETBALL
COURT, MEET THEM WHERE THEY'RE
AT.
WE KNOW WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON,
HISTORY YOU KNOW, SUPPORTS
ITSELF, WE ALREADY KNOW AS WE
LOOK BACK ON HISTORY, BUT
PROJECT RETURN HAS ALREADY
STARTED DOING THAT.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR THE
ALL-STAR WEEKEND 34 YEARS.
-- FOR THE LAST 34 YEARS.
OUR GOAL IS TO HELP MEN AND
WOMEN RETURN BACK TO THE URBAN
REALITY.
THE REALITY IS SOME THINGS MAY
NOT CHANGE, BUT YOU CAN CHANGE
DESPITE YOUR REALITY, WHAT'S
GOING ON AROUND YOU.
SO WE LET THE PEOPLE KNOW, ONCE
THEY'RE COMING HOME FROM PRISON,
THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU'VE BEEN
THROUGH, THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS WE WANT TO HELP YOU GET
TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.
OK?
SO THE EMPLOYERS DON'T WANT TO
HIRE YOUR PAST, THEY WANT TO
HIRE YOUR FUTURE.
PROJECT RETURN, WE ASSISTED OVER
185 MEN AND WOMEN GET JOBS IN
2013.
WE HELPED OVER 87 PEOPLE GET
STABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, TO HELP
CHANGE THE OUTCOME.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU CAN DO
SOMETHING DIFFERENT, YOU
CONTINUE TO GET ALWAYS WHAT
YOU'VE GOT, AND WE ALL THAT
INSANITY.
>> I WAS TALKING TO A LOCAL -- I
BELIEVE HE'S A PSYCHOLOGIST, BY
THE NAME OF RAMEL SMITH, WHO
USED TO WORK WITH THE
CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND HE
SAID I LEFT CORRECTIONS AND I
NOW WORK WITH CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL AND WITH CHILDREN
BECAUSE I SAW THIS CONTINUING
PIPELINE AND THERE WAS NOTHING
THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THERE, AND
I WANTED TO HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT
AND THE WAY I COULD DO THAT WAS
TO TRY AND REACH THESE KIDS
BEFORE THEY BECAME THESE VERY
ANGRY ADULTS OR JUVENILES WHO
ENDED UP IN THE SYSTEM TO BEGIN
WITH.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD
PLACE TO STARTS, YOU KNOW.
YOU MENTIONED -- CLEM MENTIONED
EARLIER, HEAD START.
WHY NOT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S RIGHT.
>> SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE DO HERE IN
WISCONSIN IS WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK
AT FIGURING OUT WHAT CAPACITY WE
NEED FOR PRISONS, ONE OF THE
FACTORS WE LOOK AT IS HOW MANY
KIDS PASS THE THIRD GRADE
READING TEST?
SO EARLY ON, WE ALMOST HAVE KIDS
WHOSE LIVES ARE PERHAPS
PREDISPOSITIONED OR SOCIETY
THINKS THEY'RE PREDISPOSITIONED
TO END UP IN THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM.
>> THEY'VE BEING LABELED VERY
EARLY ON AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT CONTINUES TO FOLLOW THEM
THROUGHOUT LIFE.
>> I'M SORRY.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT.
I WORK WITH KIDS IN M.P.S., EVEN
WITH THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS,
THERE'S A DISPARITY.
THE WINCHESTER ASSESSMENT TOOL
AND THE BENOIT HAS PROVEN AND
SHOWN IN THE PAST TO BE BIASED,
SO WE NEED MORE MULTICULTURAL
TESTING SKILL SET, I MEAN, TOOLS
TO HELP WORK WITH OUR BLACK AND
LATINO YOUNG MEN.
EVEN WITH THE LABELS THAT THEY
PUT ON THEM.
THERE'S A CONSPIRACY, YOU KNOW,
ADHD AND SOME OF OUR
MISDIAGNOSED AND MISEDUCATED.
FOR EXAMPLE, I WORK WITH A YOUNG
MAN WHO THEY SAY WAS REAL HYPER
ACTIVE, THIS AND THAT, SO WE HAD
THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE
DOCTORS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS TRYING
TO LABEL HIM.
IN SHORT, BASICALLY, THIS KID
DIDN'T HAVE BREAKFAST.
THIS KID WOULD DRINK SODA, EAT
SUGAR WORMS, SO WOULDN'T YOU BE
HYPER ACTIVE?
SO WE REALLY GOT TO MOVE PAST
THAT AND JUST START MEETING
PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT, AND
REALLY WILLING TO WORK WITH
THEM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
>> I THINK ONE OF THE MOST
ENCOURAGING THINGS ABOUT THIS
DISCUSSION, WHICH IS NOT OURS,
BUT THE LARGER ONE, WHICH IS NOT
ENCOURAGING DISCUSSION, IS THE
FAITH COMMUNITIES AND THE
LEADERSHIP THAT THEY ARE
SHOWING, NOT ONLY IN MILWAUKEE
WHERE IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL,
BUT STATEWIDE.
THERE IS A MORAL VOICE, AN
ETHICAL VOICE, AND IT'S PRETTY
MUCH IN A VACUUM, AND WHAT --
THEY ARE PROVIDING GUIDANCE,
WHICH I FIND EXTREMELY HELPFUL,
AND THEY ARE ALSO PROVIDING US
WITH A SORT OF A MORAL COMPASS
BECAUSE WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT
WE SHOULD DO WITH THE KIDS AND
THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE LARGER
PICTURE.
WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION,
LITERALLY IN THIS TOWN, ABOUT
SPENDING A BILLION DOLLARS ON A
NEW BRADLEY CENTER, AN
AUDITORIUM AND RECREATIONAL
FACILITIES.
A BILLION DOLLARS.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT PUTTING UP A
DOUBLE DECKER FREEWAY SYSTEM
GOING TOWARDS WAUKESHA.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT SPENDING A
BILLION DOLLARS, BUT WHERE IS
THE BIG MILWAUKEE PLAN, YOU
KNOW, MARSHAL PLAN FOR OUR
COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE.
THIS IS SILENT.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO
JUST LET EVERY SUBURB STOP
AFRICAN-AMERICANS EVERY TIME
THEY DRIVE THROUGH, EVEN IF THEY
LIVE THERE, TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES.
AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO BUILD
THIS COMMUNITY AND WE'RE NOT --
WE'VE GOT TO GET REAL.
I'M GETTING OLD AND I'M THINGS
WE'VE GOT TO GET REAL ABOUT OUR
PRIORITIES AN OUR PRIORITIES ARE
REALLY MESSED UP RIGHT NOW IN MY
JUDGMENT.
>> WHY ISN'T THAT HAPPENING?
WHY AREN'T WE SPENDING MORE TIME
TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO
TO HELP YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MEN STAY IN SCHOOL AND STAY OUT
OF PRISON.
>> AND HELP THE WHITE COMMUNITY.
LET THEM HAVE JOBS.
WE HAVE A BILL IN THE
LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW THAT WILL
PROHIBIT NOT ONLY RAISING THE
MINIMUM WAGE, BUT WILL PROHIBIT
CITIES FROM HAVING RESIDENTIAL
PREFERENCE FOR CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS.
>> WHY AREN'T WE HAVING THAT
DISCUSSION?
>> IF YOU'RE MAKING MONEY, WHY
NOT.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING MONEY.
IT'S ORGANIZED SLAVERY, YOU
KNOW.
YOU CAN'T MAKE ANY MONEY.
YOU GIVER THEM A NUMBER WHEN
THEY COME IN, 00, SUCH AND SUCH.
I STARTED IN THE FIELD, THE
NUMBER STARTED AT 2, NOW IT'S UP
TO 6.
THEY'RE BEING BRANDED WITH THE
NUMBERS AND BRANDED WITH THE
FELONY AND SO WALL STREET, THEY
LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, YOU CAN'T
MAKE ANY MONEY IF NOBODY IS IN
HOUSE, AND SO THAT'S BASICALLY
WHAT IT IS, IT'S ABOUT MAKING
MONEY, LIKE SHE SAID BILLIONS
AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
ALSO, THESE PRISONS ARE BUILT IN
RURAL SUBURB AREAS WHERE FARMERS
USED TO BE.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE WAUPUN,
THESE USED TO BE FARMERS, NOW
THEY'RE WORKING AND THEY'RE
GETTING PAID GOOD MONEY THROUGH
THE STATE, AND SO THOSE ARE
ISSUES.
AT PROJECT RETURN, WHAT WE DO IS
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CAMPAIGN
CALLED 11 BY 15.
THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE PRISON
RATE BY 2015.
OK?
AND SO INSTEAD OF PAYING $30,000
A YEAR FOR A PERSON BEING
INCARCERATED, YOU PAY $8,000 A
YEAR FOR BEING IN TREATMENT.
SO THAT WOULD CUT THE COAST.
YOU KNOW.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE OUT TO
DO, TO HELP CHANGE THE OUTCOME.
ANOTHER THING THAT YOU HAD
MENTIONED, HOW CAN WE CHANGE THE
OUTCOMES.
EDUCATION AND JOB CREATION.
EDUCATION AND JOB CREATION IS
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL
REALLY HELP, THAT REALLY HELPED
ME TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION
THAT I WAS IN.
>> YOU KNOW, I ALSO THINK MORE
OF A FOCUS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH A
LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAY I HAVE A
FELONY RECORD, I CAN'T GET A
FOOT IN THE DOOR AND I KNOW
THERE ARE SOME GROUPS HERE WHO
ARE NOW STARTING TO TURN TO
ENTREPRENEURSHIP A BIT MORE,
SAYING WAIT A MINUTE.
SO IF SOMEONE IS NOT GOING TO
GIVE AWE JOB, YOU HAVE TO FIND
SOME LEGAL MEANS OF MAKING
MONEY.
WE'RE GOING TO TEACH YOU HOW TO
CREATE YOUR OWN, AND I THINK
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A
FOCUS ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT
RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT --
WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE
WAY IN WHICH SOCIETY THINKS
ABOUT CERTAIN GROUPS TOMORROW,
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN, BUT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO
ARE STUCK IN THAT CYCLE, WHAT DO
YOU DO, SO I THINK
ENTREPRENEURSHIP HAS TO BE A
PART OF IT.
>> WELL, I WANT TO TALK REAL
QUICKLY ABOUT A STATISTIC THAT
YOU HAVE AND WHAT'S BEHIND THAT
STATISTIC.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOUR STUDY
FOUND IS THAT HERE IN MILWAUKEE
COUNTY, OVER HALF OF THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN IN THEIR
30'S AND HALF OF THOSE IN THEIR
40'S HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED.
>> IN STATE PRISON.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE JAIL
POPULATION.
>> RIGHT.
>> SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN
TERMS OF THE IMPACT THAT HAS ON
COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES?
WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE
NUMBER OF MEN THAT HAVE BEEN
PULLED OUT OF COMMUNITIES?
>> IT'S DEVASTATING.
ZIP CODE 53206, YOU KNOW, I USED
TO WORK ACROSS FROM NORTH
DIVISION HIGH SCHOOL FOR THREE
YEARS THERE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT THE
HIGHEST INCARCERATION RATE IN
WISCONSIN.
MAYBE ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE
WORLD.
BUT THEY'VE ALSO GOT 4,000
WORKING PARENTS WHO ARE RAISING
FAMILIES THERE ACCORDING TO
STATE INCOME TAX.
THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST
CONCENTRATION OF WORKING
FAMILIES IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY.
WE DON'T THINK OF THEM THAT WAY.
WORKING POOR, BUT WORKING.
THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF
FAMILIES THERE THAT ARE MAKING
DUE, BUT THEY NEED THOSE MEN.
ONE OF THE SOBERING STATISTICS
FROM THE STUDY WAS,
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN OF WORKING
AGE THAT WE LOOKED AT HAD SPENT
116,000 YEARS IN PRISON.
I MEAN, JUST FROM THE SELFISH,
THINK OF THE LABOR LOST THERE.
THAT'S A HUGE DRAIN ON THE
ECONOMY, TO TAKE THAT MUCH
PRODUCTIVE LABOR OUT OF THE
ECONOMY, AND OF COURSE, WHAT
DOES IT MEAN FOR FAMILIES?
IT'S DID HE EVER STATING.
-- IT'S DEVASTATING.
THEY MAKE DO.
THEY'RE VERY RESILIENT.
THIS IS A REAL ASSET, YOU KNOW.
THINK WHAT THEY COULD DO IF THEY
HAD THE MEN WORKING TOO.
>> THAT'S SO TRUE.
DEFINITELY BREAK DOWN THE FAMILY
DYNAMICS WHEN THE MAN IS NOT IN
THE HOME, IT BREAKS DOWN THE
FAMILY DYNAMICS.
I HAVE MEAN, WITH THE SINGLE
PARENT HOME.
I COME FROM A SINGLE PARENT
HOME.
MY MOTHER DID THE BEST SHE COULD
AND MOST MORE THAN, I MADE THOSE
POOR CHOICES -- IMPORTANTLY, I
MADE THOSE POOR CHOICES AND BY
THE GRACE OF GOD, I RECOVERED,
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY AT THE END
OF THE DAY, THESE YOUNG MEN
DON'T HAVE THE FATHERS IN THERE,
YOU KNOW, AND SO THEY TURN TO,
LIKE I SAID, THE GROUP OF THEIR
FRIENDS, THEY TURN TO GANGS TO
HAVE A SENSE OF LOVE AND
SUPPORT, AND FOR RESPECT,
BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENCE THAT'S
IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF THE
FAMILY IN THE ZIP CODE THAT DO
WORK.
THEY ALSO WERE SOME OF THE
FORMER A.O. SMITH WORKERS, THE
MASTER LOCK WORKERS AND THAT
TYPE OF THING, LIKE THAT.
SO IT IS THE FAMILY VALUES ARE
THERE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU JUST DON'T
HAVE THE JOBS AND THE RESOURCES
THERE.
SO THAT'S AN ISSUE.
>> GREAT.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME
QUESTIONS NOW FROM FOLKS WHO ARE
IN THE AUDIENCE.
>> YES.
MY QUESTION IS, I THINK A LOT OF
TIMES, WHEN WE'VE HAD THESE
CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE NOT USING
THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY OR
ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
HOW DO WE BEGIN TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THOSE WHO
CREATE SOME OF THE POLICIES AND
LEGISLATIONS THAT ARE AFFECTING
BLACK MALES BEING ABLE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THIS SOCIETY?
SO AGAIN, I THINK A LOT OF
TIMES, WE BLAME BLACK MEN FOR
THEIR CONDITION, BUT IT'S HOW WE
ARE BEING SOCIALIZED INTO A
SOCIETY THAT, TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT, DOES NOT WANT OR DOES
NOT NEED US NECESSARILY.
THAT'S WHY THE CONDITION IS
SOMEWHAT WHAT IT IS, BUT MY
QUESTION, IS HOW DO WE BEGIN TO
CONFRONT POLICY, LEGISLATION,
AND LAWS THAT ARE AFFECTING US
BEING ABLE TO COME OUT OF PRISON
AND DON'T BE MARKED FOR THE REST
OF OUR LIVES WITH A FELONY,
BECAUSE THAT'S JUST -- THAT
CONTINUES THEIR LIFESTYLE.
>> THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION.
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS TALK, YOU
KNOW.
YOU HAVE TO BEGIN WITH TALKING
WITH THE POLICYMAKERS, YOU KNOW,
LET THEM KNOW IT'S TIME TO
REHABILITATE INSTEAD OF
INCARCERATING.
THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT TIME IT
IS.
YOU HAVE TO LOBBY, YOU NEED TO
GET WITH WISDOM, WHICH IS A
POWERFUL GROUP THAT'S CONNECTED
WITH PROJECT RETURN AND MICAH
AND WE ADVOCATE FOR THE
VOICELESS AND THE PEOPLE THAT
DON'T HAVE A VOICE, SO
BASICALLY, GOING TO MADISON,
LOBBYING AND SPEAKING AND ALSO,
CHALLENGING SOME OF THESE
ELECTED OFFICIALS, LET THEM
KNOW, HEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO
STAND FOR IT ANYMORE.
WE NEED TO COME TO THE TABLE AND
TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
OUR COMMUNITY AND ADDRESS THE
SHALL USE WITH OUR MEN AND
WOMEN -- ISSUES WITH OUR MEN AND
WOMEN RETURNING HOME FROM
PRISON.
>> WHAT DID YOU FIND IN YOUR
REPORTING, LATOYA, IS THERE THAT
WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF
POLICYMAKERS TO HAVE THAT KIND
OF DISCUSSION, ABOUT THINGS LIKE
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING?
>> SOLVE THEM.
-- SOME OF THEM.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE
WHO ARE REALLY PUSHING
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING.
I KNOW THAT DISTRICT DISTRICT
ATTORNEY JOHN CHISHOLM IS ALL
FOR DRUG COURTS.
THERE ARE SOME WHO AREN'T
NECESSARILY THERE YET AND UNTIL
I THINK THE LARGER COMMUNITY IS
IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MOVEMENT
YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE TOWARDS
THINGS LIKE THAT.
SENATOR HARRIS INTRODUCED
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE,
I BELIEVE IT WAS SOME SORT OF
RACIAL DISPARITY IMPACT FOR ALL
LAWS THAT ARE PASSED.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S EVEN
GOTTEN HERE YET, YOU KNOW, SO
THERE ARE SOME LAWMAKERS WHO ARE
REALLY LOOKING AT THIS AND
SAYING, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE
MINORITY COMMUNITIES BEING
IMPACTED BUT UNLESS ALL OF THEM
ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, IT'S A
REALLY DIFFERENT HURDLE TO
MANEUVER.
>> WE COULD ALSO THINK ABOUT THE
OTHER END.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THAT
LITERALLY HALF OF THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN IN
MILWAUKEE COUNTY IN THEIR 30'S
HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN STATE
PRISON, STATEWIDE, IT'S 49%.
THIS IS NOT JUST A MILWAUKEE
PROBLEM.
THIS IS A STATE PROBLEM.
BUT THEN IF WE SAY, OK, THEY
COME OUT, AND DO THEY GET -- DO
THEY EVER GUESS A CHANCE?
I MEAN, THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD THE
RELIGIOUS ARE INVOLVED.
WE MIGHT THINK AT SOME POINT,
YOU DID TIME, YOU GET ANOTHER
CHANCE, AND ONE OF THE MOST
BASIC IS, THIS CCAP SYSTEM THAT
THE CIRCUIT COURT MAINTAINS THAT
PUTS PRISON SENTENCES AND EVEN
CHARGES, GUILTY OR NOT, ON THE
INTERNET FOR THE REST OF YOUR
LIFE, MEANS THAT 30 YEARS FROM
NOW, THESE YOUNG MONEY, WHO
AREN'T YOUNG ANYMORE, ARE STILL
GOING TO HAVE THEIR WHOLE
HISTORY OUT THERE.
YOU CAN HAVE A LAW, THE
EMPLOYERS CAN'T DISCRIMINATE,
BUT JUST LOOK IT UP ABSENTEE
THEN YOU SAY, -- LOOK IT UP AND
THEN YOU SAY, I'M SORRY.
DO WE EVER START FORGIVING THESE
MEN AND DO WE EVER SAY OK, ONCE
YOU DO YOUR TIME AND YOU PROVE
YOUR WORTH, TRY IT AGAIN, YOU
KNOW.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO DO THAT,
BUT YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH
SOMEBODY IS GOING TO MESS UP AND
THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING
PRETTY HORRIBLE AND IS THAT ONE
CRIME GOING TO BE ENOUGH THAT
YOU SAY OH NO, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE
IT ALL OUT THERE?
>> I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON
ONE THING THAT LOIS SAID.
WE'RE FOCUSING ON MILWAUKEE
BECAUSE WE LIVE HERE.
HOWEVER, A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE
THIS AS A MILWAUKEE ISSUE, AND
AS YOU POINTED OUT, ACROSS THE
STATE, IT'S 49% OF BLACK MEN.
NOT HALL -- ALL BLACK MEN LIVE
IN MILWAUKEE.
IT'S MORE THAN A MILWAUKEE
ISSUE.
AND WHEN WE START LOOKING AT IT
IN THAT WAY, WE MIGHT SEE MORE
MOVEMENT.
>> I'M THINKING EXPUNGEMENT, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE TAGGED
WITH A FELONY, YOU KNOW, FOR
LONG PERIODS OF TIME, BUT WHEN
CAN WE DO A PROGRAM, SET UP A
PROGRAM TO HELP OUT, EXPUNGEMENT
WOULD BE GOOD, THE EMPLOYER
DON'T WANT TO HIRE YOUR PAST,
THEY WANT TO HIRE YOUR FUTURE,
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY LOOK
AT YOUR RECORDS, AND THEY LOOK
AT YOUR -- THE CRITERIA FOR A
JOB.
AND SO THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING.
SOME OF THE MEN HAT PROJECT
RETURN HAVE GOTTEN JOBS, WE'VE
COACHED THEM THROUGH
INTERVIEWING SKILLS, WE LET THEM
KNOW THAT DESPITE WHAT YOU'VE
BEEN THROUGH, WE'RE HERE TO
EMPOWER YOU AND HOPEFULLY, CAN
YOU GET EMPLOYMENT AND SO MOST
IMPORTANTLY, WE EMPOWER THEM,
AND WE STILL HOPE IN THEM,
DESPITE WHAT'S GOING ON, EVEN
THOUGH WE PUSH THE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP SELF-EMPLOYMENT
THINK AS WELL, BECAUSE LIKE I
SAID, SOME OF THEM CAN'T FIND A
JOB, CREATE ONE, YOU KNOW, AND
SO THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING.
I CALL IT TRANSFERABLE SKILLS.
TRANSFER THE NEGATIVE SKILLS
INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE AND MAKE
IT WORK FOR YOU.
SOME OF THEM ARE PAINTERS NOW.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE -- HAVE
THEIR OWN PROPERTY WHERE THEY
SELL HOMES AND THEY REHAB THEM
AND FIX THEM.
>> THERE'S A WAY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE IS A WAY.
>> I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED BY THE
IDEA OF FINDING ALTERNATIVES TO
LOCKING PEOPLE UP, AND ONE IDEA
THAT I'VE COME ACROSS IS THE
SORT OF JUSTICE WHERE YOU
BASICALLY HAVE A VICTIM AND A
PERPETRATOR TOGETHER AND THERE'S
A FACILITATED DIALOGUE.
I THINK IT CAN ALSO GIVE A VOICE
TO, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION IN
WHICH THE CRIME OCCURRED, WHY
DID SOMEONE THINK THAT -- CRIME
WAS THEIR BEST OPTION, SO I'M
WONDERING IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR
WITH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND IF
THAT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT
CONSIDER AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO
SENTENCING PEOPLE TO JAIL.
>> BECAUSE I THINK WE DID
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES SOMEWHAT IN
THE PRISON SYSTEM NOW, BUT IT'S
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED.
SO IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AN
OPTION, OR SOME CRIMES AS AN
ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION?
>> AS FAR AS JUSTICE, GIVE THE
VICTIM AND THE VICTIM -- A
CHANCE TO DIALOGUE.
COMMUNICATION RULES THE NATION,
SO COMMUNICATING, GETTING RAT
THOSE TABLES, TALKING ABOUT
THOSE HARD ISSUES, AND HOPEFULLY
RESOLVING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES,
SO YES, I THINK RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE WOULD BE GOOD TO GET TO
THE TABLE AND TALK.
>> I'M FROM WORD OF HOPE
MINISTRIES AND WE ARE ONE OF THE
RECIPIENTS OF THE REXALL GRANT
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS FOR EX-OFFENDERS.
I WANT TO COMMENT AND SEE IF
THERE'S AN ANSWER TO THIS
COMMENT BASED ON WHAT
MR. RICHARDSON SAID, IF WE NEED
TO GO BACK TO WHEN CHILDREN ARE
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OR
KINDERGARTEN.
BUT WOULD YOU THINK THAT ONCE WE
WENT BACK THERE, THERE STILL
NEEDS TO BE NEW METHOD OF
PREVENTING THESE CHILDREN FROM
COMING UP IN THE CRIME --
BECAUSE I THINK HISTORICALLY
WE'VE LOOKED AT GOING BACK,
WORKING WITH CHILDREN EARLY.
YOU STATED THIRD GRADE, THEY
KIND OF KNOW IF A PERSON IS
GOING TO PRISON OR NOT.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE STUDIES
THAT THEY'VE DONE.
BUT AT ONE POINT IN TIME, IN THE
CITY OF MILWAUKEE OR ACROSS THE
STATE, WHEN A WOMAN WENT IN TO
THE HOSPITAL AND WAS PREGNANT,
AND SOME DRUGS OR *** WAS
FOUND IN HER SYSTEM, SHE WAS
AUTOMATICALLY REFERRED TO SOME
SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY AND KIND
OF DIRECTED TO SOME FORM OF
CARE.
IF WE LOOK HISTORICALLY AT A LOT
OF THESE YOUNG MEN THAT ARE
GOING TO PRISON, IF YOU TRACK
THEIR RECORD,, A HOT OF THEM ARE
PRODUCTS -- LOT OF THEM ARE
PRODUCTS OF *** BABIES.
>> HOW DO WE BEGIN TO --
>> WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK
AT IS THAT ASPIRATION WITHOUT
PREPARATION LEADS TO
FRUSTRATION.
NOW, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS OUR
KIDS, AS THEY'RE GOING TO THE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SYSTEM, THERE
NEEDS TO BE A THORACESMENT ON
THE CHILD'S BACKGROUND.
-- THORACESMENTS ON THE CHILD'S
BACKGROUND.
>> HOW DO WE TALK RESOURCES AND
BEGIN TO IDENTIFY EARLY ON
FAMILIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING AND
FROM WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE WORK
THAT DR. QUINN AND OTHERS HAVE
DONE, HOW DO WE BEGIN TO TAKE A
LOOK AT THAT, TAKING THAT
INFORMATION WE HAVE AND DOING
SOMETHING WITH IT?
>> BASICALLY, LIKE I SAID,
COLLECT BEING THE DATA, --
COLLECT BEING THE DATA AND
WORKING WITH THE FAMILY.
IT'S A COMPLEX ISSUE.
LIKE YOU SAID, THE ***
EPIDEMIC, AND DEALING WITH THAT,
SOME KIDS ARE BORN CRACK
ADDICTED, SO MOST IMPORTANTLY,
EDUCATING THEIR FAMILIES, IT'S A
HOLISTIC APPROACH, MEETING WITH
THE FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORKERS,
THE SPIRITUAL FAMILY MEETING,
TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT'S CALLED PREVENTIVE MEASURES
INSTEAD OF WAITING TILL THEY GET
IF TROUBLE OR WAITING UNTIL THE
KID ACTS OUT WITH THE BEHAVIOR
IN SCHOOL AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
TRY TO INCARCERATE OR SUSPEND
THEM FROM SCHOOL OR WHATEVER, SO
I THINK WE SHOULD JUST MEET WITH
THE WHOLE FAMILY.
>> I MENTIONED RAMEL SMITH
EARLIER AND IT'S SOMETHING HE
SAID IN AN INTERVIEW THAT I HAD
WITH HIM.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WHILE I WORK
WITH CHILDREN, I ALSO WORK WITH
THE FAMILIES, BECAUSE THERE IS
NO WAY YOU CAN WORK WITH THE
CHILD WITHOUT WORKING WITH THE
FAMILY.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY, FOR HIM TO BE
SEEN, THE KIDS HE'S SEEING,
THEY'RE HAVING SOME SORT OF
ISSUES.
HOW EXACTLY YOU GET THEM BEFORE
THEY'RE IN HIS OFFICE, I'M NOT
SURE, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK
IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
EXPLORED.
>> WELL, YOU END UP HAVING
BITTER, ANGRY CHILDREN.
>> IT CAN CAUSE CHILDREN TO
BECOME BITTER, ANGRY, AND THAT
LEADS TO KIDS NOT MAKING THE
BEST CHOICES.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THAT --
>> WHEN CHILDREN ARE BITTER AND
ANGRY, IF THEY HAVEN'T SAW THEIR
MOM IN THE LAST TWO DAYS,
BECAUSE SHE'S BEING ON A ***
OR CRACK ADDICTION, AND THE DAD
IS NEVER AROUND, HE'S SEPARATED
FROM THE HOME, THIS KID IS A
VERY ANGRY KID, BUT HE'S GOING
TO SCHOOL BECAUSE HE WANTS TO
MAKE FRIENDS, BUT WHEN HE GETS
TO SCHOOL, HE CAN'T CONCENTRATE
ON MATH OR ENGLISH BECAUSE OF
THE FAMILY ISSUES, AND RIGHT
AWAY, THE SCHOOL LABELS HIM AS A
CHILD, NOT ABLE TO LEARN.
THEY PUT HIM IN ALTERNATIVE
SCHOOLS.
IN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS, YOU HAVE
OARING RIVERSIDE PARK BAD KIDS
AND THAT -- INFLUENCES HIM TO
GET INTO NEGATIVE BAD THINGS AND
THAT STARTS WHO HAVE THIS
JUVENILE INCARCERATION, BUT
WE'RE SAYING THIS IS A BAD KID.
THIS IS NOT A BAD KID.
THIS IS A KID THAT COMES FROM A
BAD SITUATION.
>> I WANT TO CHANGE THE
DISCUSSION A LITTLE BIT.
THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF
MILWAUKEE WITH HOUSING.
IF YOU HAVE A FELONY CONVICTION,
YOU CAN BE LEGALLY DISCRIMINATED
AGAINST AND NOT BE OFFERED
HOUSING, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A
FELONY.
I WOULD ASK, HAS YOUR STUDIES OR
ANYTHING YOU HAVE WORKED WITH
DISCUSSED THIS AND HOW CAN WE
GET ACROSS THIS BARRIER?
>> WE KNOW THAT IT WAS A
BARRIER.
BUT WE DIDN'T EXPLORE IT IN
DETAIL, BUT IT WAS A -- IT WAS A
CONCERN THAT WHEN MEN COME HOME,
THEY CAN'T REUNITE WITH THEIR
FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE
IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND THE SAME
WAY WITH THE LIMITATION ON
ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
IT'S THE LAST THING WE SHOULD
HAVE HAD LIMIT PEOPLE FROM
HAVING ACCESS TO.
-- IT'S THE LAST THING WE
SHOULD LIMIT PEOPLE FROM HAVING
ACCESS TO.
IN RESPONSE TO BOTH, I THINK ONE
OF THE MOST -- OK.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF WHITE
LEADERS LEAPING FORWARD ON THIS
ISSUE, SO I THINK THE ANSWERS
HAVE TO COME FROM THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, IT'S
THE MOST APPROPRIATE PLACE, IT'S
A PLACE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE
SITUATION MOST.
THE RESOURCES HAVE TO COME FROM
THE LARGER COMMUNITY, BUT IN
THIS CASE, I THINK WE ABSOLUTELY
HAVE TO LOOK FOR LEADERSHIP FROM
THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE NOBODY
ELSE UNDERSTANDS HOW SERIOUS
THIS IS.
AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE
GROUND.
>> I AGREE.
I AGREE.
YES, DEFINITELY, THE HOUSING IS
AN ISSUE.
IT DEPENDS ON THE CRIME,
ESPECIALLY IF A PERSON HAS A SEX
OFFENSE, HOUSING IS AN ISSUE,
YOU KNOW, HE HAS TO BE WARNED OR
SHE HAS TO REGISTER WITH THE
SHERIFF AND REGISTER WITH THE
STATE AND ALL THAT.
AND SO HOUSING IS AN ISSUE, EVEN
WITH SOME PROBATION AGENTS, PUT
THEM BACK IN PRISON, OR IN JAIL
UNTIL THEY FIND HOUSING FOR
THEM.
AND SO HOUSING IS AN ISSUE WITH
THE ABANDONED HOUSES IN THE
COMMUNITY AND DIFFERENT THINGS
OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE
THAT WITH YOU, BUT PROJECT
RETURN, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO
HOUSE THE MEN THAT'S COMING OUT,
AND WE DON'T HAVE HOUSING PER SE
OURSELF BUT WE REFER THEM TO
DIFFERENT HOUSING LOCATIONS, AND
MR. FULLER, TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION, WE NEED MORE COMMUNITY
CENTERED FAMILY SERVICES, AND WE
NEED MORE FAMILY CENTERED
SERVICES TOO AS WELL.
YOU KNOW,, MEANING JUST A
HOLISTIC APPROACH, MEETING WITH
THE FAMILY, SEGREGATE UP
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEM, --
SEGREGATE UP SCHOLARSHIPS FOR
THEM -- SETTING UP SCHOLARSHIPS
FOR THEM.
WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THE ELECTED
OFFICIALS TO DO ANYTHING.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE DIALOGUE IN
THE COMMUNITIES, AND IN THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AS
WELL.
SO THERE'S THINGS WE NEED TO DO.
>> ADD ON TO THAT, YOU ALSO NEED
SOME SORT OF PARENTING CLASSES
AND TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO BE A
FAMILY UNIT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT
NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY GROW
UP WITH, AND SO YOU DON'T KNOW.
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPERATE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> MY QUESTION IS MORE ON A
POLICY LEVEL, STATE POLICY
LEVEL.
RECENTLY, THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE
IN PART, IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE OF A MORE
RECENT *** CRISIS, THAT IS
AFFECTING WHITE YOUNG PEOPLE IN
THE SUBURBS, AND IN RURAL AREAS.
SO NOW THERE IS SOME INTEREST IN
TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THIS COULD
BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE
COMPASSION FOR A BROADER SEGMENT
OF THE POPULATION, NOT JUST OUR
KIDS, BUT ALL KIDS.
OR IF THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF
FURTHER RACIAL DISCREPANCY IN
SENTENCE, AND --
>> AND TREATMENT?
>> RIGHT, AND TREATMENT.
>> WE'VE GOT JUST A FEWER
MINUTES TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER
THAT QUESTION.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET STARTED
FOR US.
>> I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU KNOW,
THIS IS A CHANCE FOR US TO TAKE
A LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS IN
GENERAL AND NOT JUST THE
PROBLEMS WITH *** THAT ARE
IMPACTING PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE
CITY OF MILWAUKEE.
I HOPE THAT WE TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE A
DEEPER LOOK AND SAY, THESE ARE
PROBLEMS, LET'S DEAL WITH THEM
HOLISTICALLY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S A BIG EPIDEMIC.
ONE THING ABOUT DRUGS, THEY
DON'T DISCRIMINATE, DON'T CARE
IF YOU LIVE IN THE SUBURBS,
CRACK HOUSE OR THE WHITE HOUSE.
IT MESSES WITH YOU.
MOST IMPORTANTLY IS WORKING WITH
THE PERSON, BECAUSE YOU'RE
DEALING WITH INTERPERSONAL
ISSUES, THAT'S THE POST
IMPORTANT THING.
THERE'S ALSO A BIG CRYSTAL ***
EPIDEMIC IN THE RURAL AREAS THAT
THEY ARE DON'T TALK ABOUT, BUT
WHEN THE CRACK EPIDEMIC HIT, IT
WAS LET'S LOCK THEM UP, THROW
AWAY THE KEY, SO YOU SEE THE
DISPARITY THERE TOO AS WELL, SO
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WITH PROJECT
RETURN, WE WANT TO ASSIST AND
HELP ANYONE, NO MATTER WHERE
THEY COME FROM, OR WHAT RACE OR
WHATEVER.
SO WE WANTED TO HELP THE PERSON
OUT.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'VE LEARNED IN OUR
DISCUSSION TODAY IS THAT THIS IS
A MUCH MORE COMPLEX PROBLEM,
THAN SIMPLY HERE IS THE
STATISTIC.
IT REALLY HAS BEEN, I THINK, AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PEEL THAT
ONION BACK A LITTLE BIT AND SEE
ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT LAYERS,
AND I THINK TO ALSO WALK AWAY
WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING,
THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE, THE
MINORITY COMMUNITY MAY FEEL THE
IMMEDIATE IMPACT, THIS IS NOT AN
IMPACT THAT'S JUST LIMITED TO
MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
SO AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE
MOVE FORWARD, WHERE WE GO FROM
HERE, LAST QUESTION FOR EACH OF
YOU, WHERE WOULD YOU START?
YOU GET THE ABILITY TO PICK
WHERE WE START.
MR. RICHARDSON, WHERE WOULD YOU
START FOR US, WHERE WOULD YOU
START IN ABOUT 20 SECONDS?
>> I WOULD START WITH EDUCATION
AND JOB CREATION, AND LOWERING
THE RISK FOR OFFENDERS.
INSTEAD OF INCARCERATE, LET'S
REHABILITATE, LET'S GO BACK TO
WAYS WHERE WE CAN COMMUNICATE
AND TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY, AND
MEET PEOPLE RIGHT WHERE THEY'RE
AT IN THEIR OWN NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT.
>> THIS STUDY WAS PRETTY MUCH
IGNORED FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS,
AND THEN WUWM AND MPTV GOT ON IT
AND THEY STARTED HAMMERING.
AND I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW
VALUABLE IT HAS BEEN TO HAVE
PUBLIC RADIO AND PUBLIC
TELEVISION KEEP ON IT.
IT'S NOT OH, I KNEW THAT, OK,
WHAT'S THE NEXT ISSUE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY, STAY
ON IT, DON'T LET US WALK AWAY
FROM IT.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE
SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT YOU HAVE PUT TOGETHER HERE,
IMMENSELY GRATEFUL.
>> LATOYA, WHAT WOULD WE START?
>> EDUCATION, BECAUSE A LOT OF
PEOPLE I COME IN CONTACT WITH
HAVE DIFFICULTY READING AND
WRITING AND ALSO REHABILITATION,
LIKE WE CAN'T KEEP PUNISHING
PEOPLE, YOU KNOW.
>> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
THIS VERY RICH DISCUSSION THAT
CERTAINLY IS TO BE CONTINUED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE
IT, WITH THE WEATHER OUTSIDE,
BUT WE'RE COMING UP ON SPRING
BREAK FOR "FOURTH STREET FORUM."
WE'RE TAKING A BREAK DURING
MPTV'S 2014 SPRING MEMBERSHIP
DRIVE.
WE'LL SEE YOU IN A COUPLE OF
WEEKS.
WHEN WE PRESENT BEYOND ROADS,
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES TODAY AND
TOMORROW.
WE'RE DRIVING LESS THAN WE HAVE
IN DECADES.
MORE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN
USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO
GET TO WORK OR TO PLAY AND
TRAINS HAVE MADE A COMEBACK.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
WHAT ARE THE TRANSPORTATION
ISSUES FACING MILWAUKEE AND
WISCONSIN?
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
SHOW, TO SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY
EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS, OR TO WATCH
ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS ON LINE ANY
TIME, YOU CAN GO TO "FOURTH
STREET FORUM," AT WWW.MPTV.ORG.
I'M DENISE CALLAWAY AND FOR ALL
OF US HERE AT "FOURTH STREET
FORUM," THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE WITH US TODAY AND
MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR BEING PART
OF THE DISCUSSION.
[APPLAUSE]