Maybe the system has falsely ruined the life of another minority male because he is a minority; maybe it hasn't.

"It's not the fault of the police when they stop minority males or put them in jail," Parks told me.

It's the fault of the minority males for committing the crime.

In establishing separate public schools and classes for minority males, educators and educational decision makers reinforce these stereotypes.

"On written tests that have been used throughout the country," Mr. Constantine said, "the scoring ratio is different between white males and minority males."

The plight of minority males here in New York makes it difficult for us to recruit them.

Many experts attribute much of the sharp rise in violent-crime rates in the 1980's to increased drug and gun activity, particularly among minority males in inner cities.

The disproportionate number of black and ethnic minority males who are stopped and searched is certainly a reality that my male friends and family members can testify to.

"As far as I was concerned, we were indiscriminately stopping young minority males on the street," she said.

And, since so many retiring military personnel are black or members of other minorities, the program also brings into inner-city classrooms strong minority male and female role models.