African 'rite of passage' to cut black crime !!!!!!

[Daanyeer]

Source: Metro
November 25, 2007


Black youths are being urged to go through an African-style 'rite of passage' to help tackle high levels of crime and underachievement.

The role-model training programme offers disillusioned black youngsters a support system based on an African cultural tradition which aims to help youths develop into responsible young adults.

The rites of passage programme will be run by 'elders' or mentors, according to the Afro-Caribbean organisation, Institute for Rites of Passage UK.

Its founder, Glenor Roberts, said similar programmes already operate successfully in America. He added: 'Black crime, gang culture and black underachievement is a direct consequence of missing out on this transition from adolescence to adulthood.

'Basically, many black people are still behaving like adolescents and are simply not in touch with the responsibilities of adulthood.'

The programme, which also trains black adults as mentors, includes life skills and economic, social and moral competency skills.

The organisation said that the consequences of black economic underachievement costs Britain nearly £1billion per year.

Beverly Davis, spokeswoman for the institute, said: 'The current escalation of gang murders, gun crime and knife attacks demonstrates that all the notable efforts of the police, the politicians and even community groups are not working. Something more radical needs to be tried.'