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Although they are certainly not alone in not receiving adequate support, young men who leave school and the labor force have an added onus in that they receive the least public support. Edelman (law, Georgetown U.) and his colleagues point out that marginalized young men are amongst the few groups in American without a lobbyist, unless one counts those for the prison system. The authors describe the dismal situation for young disadvantaged men, and offer a series of solutions for helping young men return to society, or to stay there. They cover the group's characteristics, education and training policies toward them, community youth systems, financial incentives and reconnecting families. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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By several recent counts, the United States is home to 2 to 3 million youth age 16 through 24 who are out of school and out of work Much has been written on disadvantaged youth, and government policy has gone through many incarnations, yet questions remain unanswered. Why are so many young people “disconnected,” and what can public policy do about it? And why has disconnection become more common for young men—particularly African-American men and low-income men—than for young women? In Reconnecting Disadvantaged Young Men, Edelman, Holzer, and Offner offer analysis and policy prescriptions to solve this growing crisis. They carefully examine field programs and research studies and recommend specific strategies to enhance education, training, and employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth; to improve the incentives of less-skilled young workers to accept employment; and to address the severe barriers and disincentives faced by some youth, such as ex-offenders and noncustodial fathers. The result is a clear guidebook for policymakers, and an important distillation for anyone interested in the plight of today’s disconnected youth. With a foreword by Hugh Price, former President and CEO, National Urban League
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