Yes, I am well aware of the racism in our justice system. But while parental guidance can definitely be a factor in youth group violence, I think it’s more of a symptom of that racist justice system—and, by extension, so is the violence that does fester among disaffected young men. That’s also why I don’t think that more policing is going to solve that problem.

Specifically blaming absent fathers does stoke some racial stereotypes, however, as if to say that the absence of said fathers is due to some socio-genetic fault in black men, as opposed to being caused by a system that’s designed to hold people of color back.