REVERSING STATISTICS IS JUDGES' GOAL

Five Black Judges Meet With About 100 Young Black Men To Inspire Them
To Take Control Of Their Future. "I'm Worried, I'm Genuinely
Worried," One Judge Said Of The State Of Black Males

CLEARWATER - They sat on rows of wooden benches. Some glanced up at
the high ceilings. Others cut their eyes at one another when
something was said that piqued their interest. Others, slightly
slouched, stared straight ahead, without emotion, and listened.

On this particular Saturday morning, Pinellas County's Criminal
Justice Center Courtroom No. 1 was reserved for them, an audience of
more than 100, made up mostly of young black men.

But the five judges who addressed them weren't adorned in their black
robes or passing sentence.

They were trying to save their lives.

At the beginning of a half-day forum designed to address issues
facing young black males and to present the justice system in a
positive manner, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Michael Andrews rattled
off a list of statistics:

Today, black men make up 41 percent of the inmates in federal, state
and local prisons, but black men are only 4 percent of all students
in American institutions of higher education.

Of black males born this year, 29 percent can expect to spend some
time behind bars.

One in 20 black men is incarcerated, compared with one in 155 white men.

For every three black men in college, four are in prison.

Saturday's conversation, conducted by Andrews in conjunction with the
Clearwater graduate chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, was
directed at those most affected by those numbers. It was an attempt
to reverse them.

"I'm worried, I'm genuinely worried," said Andrews, who moderated
Saturday's event. "I believe we have a problem, and if we don't get a
handle on it soon, we are going to be in serious trouble."

The five judges on the panel, all African-American, told stories of
how they became judges. Of how they dealt with peer pressure. Of how
they, too, face prejudices, but how they have tried to make good
choices to have better lives.

The judges wanted the teens to see them not in their black robes,
sitting atop the judge's bench with a gavel in hand. They wanted to
be at eye level, a familiar equal.

"We are not here to sugarcoat anything," Circuit Judge Orlando
Prescott of Miami told the group. "When people of color make
mistakes, when you become older, that mistake stays with you."

The panel, which also included Circuit Judge Reginald Whitehead of
Orlando, Hillsborough County Judge Eric Myers and Pinellas County
Judge James Pierce, spoke on a range of topics, including choosing
friends, the "acting white" label that some young black teens fear,
and what to do when a parent is selling drugs or committing illegal
acts in the home.

The judges addressed education, domestic violence, the power of
language and the importance of one's attire. The topic turned to the
way many young men wear their paints, sagging below their waist.

"It comes from prison," Andrews said of the style. "... Why would we
decide to adopt something that's related to being in prison? Why?"

For Almeen Hazard, 16, who lives in St. Petersburg's Charles Park,
Saturday's conversation was an eye-opener.

"It's harder for us because we automatically get looked at as someone
who is selling drugs or going to do something bad," Hazard said. "But
this opened my eyes to a lot of things, and they talked about stuff
that we just don't talk about every day.

"I now realize that if I don't become a rapper or an athlete, I still
can make it to college. I can be a teacher or a lawyer. But I still can do it."

Walter Reid of Palm Harbor brought his 15-year-old son, Nathan, to the event.

"I always try to have him exposed to encouraging men, other than
myself, and this is an opportunity for him to see role models and
people who are successful," said Reid, 53. "Those statistics that he
(Andrews) talks about say a lot. When I was growing up, it was all
about education. For some reason, that message is not sinking in with
some young people."

If the youth learned nothing else during the day, Myers wanted them
to remember a few things.

"Participate in your own life," he said. "Take control of your
destiny, and there's nothing wrong with asking for help. I want to be
able to pass the torch to you, and when your time comes, I want you
to be able to pass it."