Rap is a symptom

* Since I direct a ministry for exoffenders, most of whom are young black males, I read with great interest Fr. Raymond Schroth's article, "Talking sense about a new 'lost' generation" (NCR, Dec. 15). I believe he is wrong in placing the blame on popular culture. It is a symptom, not the cause. Society in general needs to accept much of the blame. A study funded in part by the Department of Justice found that among first-time juvenile offenders, black youths were six times as likely as whites to be sentenced to prison. Black youths charged with drug offenses are 48 times as likely to be sentenced to juve nile detention as white youths.

Lack of affordable housing and jobs that pay a living wage also contribute to the problem. According to a report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a family in the state of Florida must earn $16.35 an hour in order to afford rent and utilities. Most young black males in the inner city of Jacksonville, Fla., are fortunate if they can find a job paying $9 an hour and I suspect the situation isn't much different in other states.

If the problems plaguing black males are going to be solved, it will take the efforts of the entire community working together to stamp out racism in our criminal justice system, provide affordable housing and jobs that pay a living wage and, most important of all, give young black males hope so that they don't look to rappers and drug dealers to meet their need for meaning in their lives.

(Deacon) STAN GRENN

Jacksonville, Fla.

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