4 ms·

EDIT: Here's another fun stat: america has more black people in prison than in college: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ amer

EDIT: Here's another fun stat: america has more black people in prison than in college: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ americas/2223709.stm This claim is a little misleading - the absolute numbers are true (or close enough depending on your source) but it compares blacks in all age groups in jail with blacks going to college. If you limit the comparison to college-aged blacks, there are far more blacks in college then prison.

JonnieCache 16y ago
A good point. It is still not exactly encouraging that these two figures should be anywhere near each other, considering it is not only young people that should be going to college. EDIT: I wonder what would happen if you injected the racial makeup of the prison/university management and staff into the calculations.
- true_religion 16y ago
  Two things you should consider: 1. Prison terms often last longer than the average university education. 2. Once you've finished your term in university, there's not much encouragement (regardless of racial group) to continue. For example: You have a BS in Computer Science, and are now working. Why should you go back for a MS? Or a PHD? Or Post Doc?
  - bugsy 16y ago
    Those are excellent points. The number of years of one's life spent in prison on average for the population vs number of years spent in college on average for the population might be one other way to look at it and it would come out looking even worse.
- yters 16y ago
  What about other racial groups?
forensic 16y ago
what is college age though? there are plenty of 30 year olds who go to college
- Anechoic 16y ago
  what is college age though? 18-24: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind00/c4/fig04-06.htm http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind00/c4/fig04-06.htm there are plenty of 30 year olds who go to college True, but the under 25 range makes up ~70% of college students (IIRC).

JonnieCache 16y ago

A good point. It is still not exactly encouraging that these two figures should be anywhere near each other, considering it is not only young people that should be going to college. EDIT: I wonder what would happen if you injected the racial makeup of the prison/university management and staff into the calculations.

true_religion 16y ago
Two things you should consider: 1. Prison terms often last longer than the average university education. 2. Once you've finished your term in university, there's not much encouragement (regardless of racial group) to continue. For example: You have a BS in Computer Science, and are now working. Why should you go back for a MS? Or a PHD? Or Post Doc?
- bugsy 16y ago
  Those are excellent points. The number of years of one's life spent in prison on average for the population vs number of years spent in college on average for the population might be one other way to look at it and it would come out looking even worse.
yters 16y ago
What about other racial groups?

forensic 16y ago

what is college age though? there are plenty of 30 year olds who go to college

Anechoic 16y ago
what is college age though? 18-24: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind00/c4/fig04-06.htm http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind00/c4/fig04-06.htm there are plenty of 30 year olds who go to college True, but the under 25 range makes up ~70% of college students (IIRC).