Men On Higher Learning: October 2013

It is an honor and a privilege to work with an organization that is walking the walk, not just talking!

Kids off the Block is run by a community of people who care, spear headed by founder and cel

(2011 CNN Hero) Mrs. Diane Latiker of the Roseland Community.

KOB is designed to give youth positive something to do.

As the Videographer of KOB, we film their events every year,

and every year some child walks up to me and tells us how much

they appreciate our coming out to film the "GOOD IN THE HOOD",

while everyone else talks about the violence!

We salute Kids off the Block!

Keep up the great work Diane and KOB Team!

Tony Hogues - Producer/Host

Men On Higher Learning TV Show

Official KOB Videographer

part 1

part 2

part 3

Making Progress; Moving Forward!

Privatizing Prisons Is Like Trading Slaves

1 in 3 Black Males Will Go to Prison

One of Best Speeches of 21st Century

Teach Students Philosophy and Critical Thinking Skills

Boo! At the Zoo

Do We Need Algebra in 2013?

Links:The Black Star Project's website:

Black Star Journal:

Become a Member:

Event Calendar:

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"Privatizing prisons in the 21st century is like trading slaves in the 17th, 18th and 19th century!" - Phillip Jackson

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Corrections Corporation of America wants to run the prisons of America with a guaranteed 90% occupancy

(Excerpts from Letter by Corrections Corporation of America Chief Corrections Officer Harley G. Lappin to governors in 48 states in early 2012)

Dear Governor _______________:

I am writing to brief you in advance about a new program - the CCA corrections investment

Initiative - that we plan to begin discussing with you and other key decision-makers in the State of _________ in the coming weeks. In short, CCA is earmarking $250 million for purchasing and

managing government-owned corrections facilities.

The program is a new opportunity for federal, state or local governments that are considering the benefits of partnership corrections. We're proud to consistently deliver safe and efficient operations and high quality educational and rehabilitation programming for inmates and detainees under our care.

We want to build on that success and provide our existing or prospective government partners with access to the same opportunity as they manage challenging corrections budgets. Interested parties would execute the sale to CCA and enter into a long-term management contract of 20 years or more.

Physical requirements for facilities that would be eligible for purchase by the fund would include:

* A minimum rated occupancy of 1,000 beds;

* A structure age of no more than 25 years;

* A designation that the structure is suitable for immediate occupation or is already

occupied by an inmate population; and

* An assurance by the agency partner that the agency has sufficient inmate

population to maintain a minimum 90 percent occupancy rate over the term of the

contract.

Please feel free to call or contact me directly at (615) 263-3001 if you have any questions,

comments or interest. I would be delighted to hear from you. Meanwhile, please accept my best wishes for a great 2012.

Sincerely,

Harley G. Lappin

Chief Corrections Officer

Stock quotation for:

Corrections Corp Of America

NYSE: CXW - Oct 22 4:02 PM ET

37.08 -0.38 (-1.01%)

Open 37.40, High 37.72, Low 37.03

Volume 1,119,719; Avg Vol 939,000; Mkt Cap 4.29B

Click Here to Read Complete Letter

(This is not 1913 or 1953. This is 2013 in America!!!)

1 In 3 Black Males Will Go To Prison In Their Lifetime, Report Warns

This may put U.S. in violation of 1992 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

By Saki Knafo

October 4, 2013

One in every three black males born today can expect to go to prison at some point in their life, compared with one in every six Latino males, and one in every 17 white males, if current incarceration trends continue.

These are among the many pieces of evidence cited by the Sentencing Project, a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for prison reform, in a report on the staggering racial disparities that permeate the American criminal justice system.

The report was submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Committee this week in advance of the U.N.'s review of American compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights later this month. It argues that racial disparity pervades "every stage of the United States criminal justice system, from arrest to trial to sentencing."

"Racial minorities are more likely than white Americans to be arrested," the report explains. "Once arrested, they are more likely to be convicted; and once convicted, they are more likely to face stiff sentences."

The report's findings lead its authors to conclude that the U.S. is violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that all citizens must be treated equally under the law. The U.S. ratified the treaty in 1992.

The problem begins with police activity. According to Justice Department data cited in the report, police arrested black youth for drug crimes at more than twice the rate of white youth between 1980 and 2010, nationwide. Yet a 2012 study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that white high-school students were slightly more likely to have abused illegal drugs within the past month than black students of the same age.

Blacks are also far more likely than whites to be stopped by the police while driving. The Sentencing Project report largely attributes the racial disparities in both traffic and drug arrests to "implicit racial bias" on the part of the police.

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