Many people blame the cost of deindustrialization as a major cause for some of the relevant issues that the city has undergone and continues to experience such as urban decay and abandonment, poor communities, social and economic inequality, displacement through gentrification and urban renewal, the underground economy, and crime. Yet, when it comes to crime, Baltimore’s children are quick to be called out as criminals.
Research indicates that Black children in the United States are perceived and treated as criminals at a disproportionate rate compared to their classmates of other races, even when their behavior is identical. This viewpoint is based on long-standing racial stereotypes, institutional racism, and institutional bias. In fact, Black children are frequently portrayed in the news media as dangerous criminals or superpredators. The superpredators theory asserts that Black children are more likely to be radically impulsive and brutally remorseless, served to legitimize racist news ─ stereotypes of racism.
Studies show that Black children, particularly boys, are often associated with violence, danger, or criminality by the public as well as authorities (school staff, law enforcement, and court officials). According to an article published in “Psychology Today” (2024), historically, Black children are often perceived as more grown up, less innocent, and more adult-likely than their white peers, a phenomenon know as age compression or adultification. In addition to robbing them of their childhood they are more likely to receive harsh punishment. Black children have historically been perceived as expendable or as bothersome adults, a propensity that continues to shape how they are perceived and handled today, according to “Psychology Today” (2024).
Black children and youth, especially those who reside in under-resourced and disinvested neighborhoods (aka “landscapes of despair”) are more likely to be exposed to lead poison and toxic waste, educational inequality, redlining, wide opportunity gaps, and an increase threat to Black lives. Nevertheless, Black children and youth have notable resilience in the face of hardship, uncertainty, and race-related stressors. They prove repeatedly that they can bounce back from failures, disappointments, setbacks, and complex trauma. Protective factors that often encourage their resilience include a strong and supportive family, academic support for those who attend school, and guidance from dedicated mentors and peers. å
Over time and across circumstances Black children have been born into conditions ranging from chattel slavery; realities of poverty; environmental exposures; wealthy families; opportunity; single-parent households; intergenerational wealth; chronic disease & disability; and various gifts and talents. Children are God’s gift (Psalm 127:3).
Children who are labeled may develop a self-fulfilling prophecy, have their perceived potential
limited, and have their expectations from others lowered, among other detrimental effects. Furthermore, labels can lead to low self-esteem, stress, and social isolation. In addition, name–calling alters a child’s inner world. It also creates feelings of worthlessness and depression. Name-calling and labeling will become ingrained in a child’s identity. A stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. According to Dr. Claude Steel, Lucie Stern Professor Emeritus, who coined the term stereotype threat, the stereotype threat is when individuals fear they may confirm negative stereotypes about their social group. Also, it is the fear of being judged or acting in a way that confirms a negative stereotype about one’s own group. The subliminal messages that children absorb about themselves often impact their behavior and self-perception.