Study shows disturbing trend in suicides among young black males

A disturbing trend the sheds light on life's hardships for black youth. A new study reveals that more like children are taking their own lives. CBS 58 spoke with the founder of the running rebels Tuesday evening, a youth organization in the black community that's been operating for decades in Milwaukee. Victor Barnett says the bottom line is society needs to realize that things are different, and more young people are giving up.

Need a starting up tick in suicides among black boys between the ages of five and 11 has skyrocketed since 2003. According to a study reported by CBS news, 3.5% per million black boys have committed suicide. That's compared to 1.3% per million white boys in the same age group.

\"I just think that now the temptations and pressures of the streets have definitely grown from the past\", said Victor Barnett.

Mentoring the youth in the black community for 35 years, Victor Barnett says the numbers are not shocking.

\"I remember a young man of many years ago wasn't in a rush to get his driver's license because he wouldn't be alive when he turned 20 years old\", said Barnett. \"So that drove home to me, he was a young man; he's not going to live long. And I think that ties into today and was going on with our young people.\"

CBS 58 spoke with the states DHS Tuesday evening, and their stats from 2013 raise more awareness locally. In Wisconsin, American Indian and black high school students top the list for being hospitalized due to suicidal thoughts or behavior.

\"I think it's a snowball effect\", said Victor Barnett. \"At home things are not going right, at school, and you go out into the neighborhoods and deal with the violence.\"

Barnett says the goal needs to be making the snowball effect positive.

\"Once you get the ball rolling in a young person's life they get that good feeling or some success\", said Barnett.

The study test on several factors including that black children may experience more violence and stress in comparison to their counterpart.

DHS report

CBS news report