More than 24 million—or 1 in 3—children live apart from their biological fathers, according to 2011 U.S. Census Bureau statistics. The absence of these male figures are more pronounced in African-American homes, where 64 percent of children live without a father compared to 34 percent of Hispanic children and 25 percent of White children.
“It is definitely a factor that affects the African-American community in Flint,” Kruger said.
The professor pointed to several factors that may account for the male shortage in Flint and similar communities: Across the United States, men have been more likely to lose their jobs and were more likely to seek unemployment away from their communities. They also experienced higher mortality rates than women due to violence and disease; and higher incarceration rates have also siphoned men away from their neighborhoods.
In light of these findings, Kruger suggested that intervention programs that strengthen relationships between fathers and children could mitigate youth violence. He also said that officials need to rethink policies that over-criminalize and over-incarcerate men for low-level infractions.
“When you take men out of the community you have this scarcity of men who could be positive role models and provide economic stability,” he said.
Article Appeared @http://blackstarjournal.org/?p=3770