The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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responded that racial discrimination is a present problem (85 percent strongly
agree/agree), contrast to blacks (65 percent strongly agree/agree). Some blacks felt
society oppresses blacks. “If I went down South, there are prejudiced people around
there.” Another youth stated, “Black person’s always looked down upon. Always has and
always gonna be.” A smaller percentage of blacks felt more optimistic, “The blacks are
moving up. They aren’t getting treated like they used to.”
Although a majority of the white youth interviewed felt discrimination is getting
worse, this theme was not as dominant as it was in the self reports. This difference could
be due to the larger sample used for the self reports in comparison to those interviewed.
Still, the dominant theme remains that a majority of both races feel discrimination is a
problem in our society. One white youth, for example, felt that racial discrimination is
getting worse “especially after the Rodney King deal...there are even blacks prejudiced
against blacks.” Another white interviewee says, “I think it’s getting better. The blacks
are getting better jobs or whatever.” Some whites indicated discrimination goes both
ways, “People will say that they don’t want that black person in my neighborhood, or that
white person, or that Chinese person.”
Opportunities
The youth were also asked if they felt blacks had the same job opportunities as whites
(Tables 1, 2). A difference of opinion exists between the blacks and the whites. Fiftyeight
percent of blacks felt they did not have the same opportunities as whites to get a job
or the ability to make the same amount of money. The whites, however, felt both groups