The top seven in both crime rates and incarceration rates are Southern States, The quality of life within these states speaks loudly to this reality. I might point to the fact Florida is in the top seven in both instances.
There is approximately 140 State prisons in Florida. That does not count the local and county jails or the federal prisons. That is a whole lot of prisons. As of 2013 the population of Florida is estimated at 19.5 million people. It's minority populations are higher than the rest of the country which dictates state government policy in bilingual outreach and it's effectiveness in the health and well being of it's minorities.
A little bit odd is that at the age of 25 years older there are less BS degrees in the state than the average in the entire country. Florida has some incredible state universities with a large number of college and community colleges. There is no reason why they should be behind the USA in number of BS graduates in the state. Additionally, there is no ready information as to the breakdown of minority BS graduates.
There is this:
30 Best U.S. Non-HBCU (HBCU means Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Schools for Minorities (click here)
by Matthew Lynch
May 27, 2013
Across the country, institutions of higher learning are starting to look more like the general population. In the 2010-2011 school year, three times as many minority students received bachelor’s degrees compared to the 1990-1991 school year. Back then, minorities only represented 13 percent of bachelor degree earners; today, that number has jumped to nearly one-fourth of total degree recipients.
I’ve written about the Top 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and included schools that are growing in diversity. I’d like to expand that idea to include non-HBCUs that have excellent programs in place for minority students. I used several factors to create this list: percentage of minority students enrolled, freshman retention rates, graduation rate gaps and general graduation rates (particularly over six years)....
27. Florida State University
Tallahassee: The six year graduation rate is 72.7 and 74.1 for Black and White students, respectively. As a state school, tuition is affordable for residents ($212 per credit hour for full time) and Florida students can also take advantage of tuition breaks through the Bright Futures program that tracks academic progress and community involvement during high school.
Compare that performance to that of Number 1 to decide how much of an effort is actually put forward. University of San Francisco is probably among the most diverse universities in the country.
1. University of San Francisco: With a 40 percent minority population, the graduation rates for all demographics are impressive. The school graduates 74 percent of Hispanic students, 51 percent of Black students, 71 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander students and 61 percent of White students. Though the private school has pricey tuition ($33,500 for both in and out-of-state students), 59 percent of students receive grants from the university. The total grant aid received by the student body from all sources is nearly $55 million.
To take this one step further. Forbes has the University of San Francisco ranked 12th of 20 in the most diverse. Those finishing ahead of it are mostly California Universities. But, the aspect of SUCCESS of minority members of our society sometimes relies on 'support systems' available to their success.
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1
Total Cost - $31,366 (For out-of-state students living on campus)
In State Tuition and Fees - $3,762
Out of State Tuition and Fees - $13,932
1.1% of the student enrollment is involved in Varsity Athletics.
SAT Composite Range 880-1120 (SAT composite includes only Critical Reading and Math.)
This is a fairly good rage. If universities are going to have a higher minority graduation rate, it first has to have a range of admission data where they live.
What do I mean by that?
As a student is educated from their earliest years they are exposed to RESOURCES and if the classroom is not speaking their language they become more and more disadvantaged. I hesitate to invoke 'so called efficiency' in grouping minority education of any young person into single language classrooms. That only enforces the language BARRIER and does not dispel it for any student including those speaking English. How is an English speaking student going to work with others that are bilingual or more in the work environment? Acceptance of diversity has to begin at the earliest of ages.
How does that relate to Solitary Confinement? What ethnicities are the most incarcerated in the USA?
Realize the median income in Florida is $47,309 in the years 2008-2012. That is below the average USA median income of $53,046. That is 10.8 percent lower due somewhat to larger retirement community. However, that retirement community as it ages needs care. That means there is a far larger opportunity for health care workers in Florida which should bring median incomes up and not force it down unless those workers are receiving minimum wage.
Lower median incomes brings suspicion of minority populations and sure enough there is 3.5 percent more African Americans in Florida than that national average and 6.3 percent more Hispanics.
So, what do we have here? Florida has a far larger population of minorities than the rest of the country because Florida is ranked 4th in population. It also has an exorbitant number of state prisons and a diminished effort with the eduction that will raise their minorities to the level of Bachelor's degree.
I didn't pick Florida, it picked me. I just followed the trail. Here it is.
By Julie Ebenstein
Staff Attorney
Voting Rights Project
ACLU at 3:59pm
03/13/2013
...Currently, the sad state of affairs in Florida (click here) serves as a prime example of the U.S.’s poor human rights record on solitary confinement.
Florida’s state prison population is the third largest in the United States, with a higher incarceration rate than any country in Central or South America. Florida incarcerates 100,272 people in its 60 state prisons and supervises almost 115,000 offenders on community supervision. Florida sends more young people under age 18 to adult state prisons than any other state in the nation.
Prisoners held in solitary confinement in Florida state prisons can be there for months on end. They are detained in nearly complete isolation, entitled to leave their cell three times per week to take a shower, and, only after thirty days, an additional three hours per week to exercise. Children in state prison may be subjected to solitary confinement and endure long periods without exercise, educational instruction, contact with their families or any rehabilitative programs and services.
Although children and mentally ill prisoners are particularly susceptible to the devastating physical and psychological effects of total isolation, they are dramatically overrepresented in solitary confinement. Neither Florida law nor its correctional regulations applies solitary confinement any differently to children or those who are seriously mentally ill, as compared to other prisoners, demonstrating a willful blindness to the particular vulnerability of these populations. In recognition of these practices, international bodies are increasingly investigating the treatment of incarcerated juveniles in the U.S.
The systemic isolation of vulnerable prisoners bucks the emerging consensus that extended solitary confinement violates the international prohibition on cruel and inhumane treatment. By reporting on solitary confinement in the Americas, the IACHR will have an opportunity to shine a light on how the U.S. has deviated from international human rights norms....
Now, consider the level of victimization of the electorate from at the very least the year 2000 and explain to me why those afflicted with these social conditions can't achieve enough representations in that state to change their circumstances.
If a population of people cannot solve their problems, what is going to happen?
Crime and then the downward spiral begins.
Recidivism rates at this point in crime history in the USA isn't really valid because sentencing has changed in non-violent crime. Those statistics won't settle out for some time.The drug sentencing standards didn't work at all. The acceptance of one time illegal substances will result in different paradigms.
In order to measure recidivism a prisoner first has to serve his or her time before they are released off probation and considered fully engaged as an independent citizen. One of the studies that I rarely see is the relationship between voting rights and recidivism. The only time the USA Constitution states a citizen loses their voting rights is when they are prisoners. In many states those that are released for serving the time for their crimes aren't given their voting rights back at all.
If I were to change the voting rights of released prisoners, I'd start with the newly released that were victimized by excessive sentences. I'd want to know what their time in prison has done to their lives and ability to cope in the real world. Also, do they understand what making election decision means to their best interests and a life of building wealth in a meaningful way.
Currently, the recidivism is about 33% in the USA which are based in older statistics. Smaller states higher and larger states lower. Louisiana has the highest recidivism rate of 43 percent.
The rate of recidivism has historically increased as time goes on, first year released the lowest, second higher and third highest. The first year is recognition of their recent experience, but, by the third year they have realized there is little to no option for them and return to the prison system.
There is also this doggedly high recidivism rate of 65% that existed within 'the sentencing phase.' It seemed to me the most hopeless period is after the verdict and before entering prison. Why not commit crime then?
There appears to be a low resistence to that 'tipping point' of hopelessness within some populations in the USA. Hopelessness is due to long term stress that relates to opportunity and upward movement to solve problems.
The more stress within a paradigm of hopelessness, the quicker that reality of life will take hold and resolve to decision making that promotes crime.
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