A new Government study into young black males will be spearheaded by a Ivy League Professor. And the Premier hopes the $400,000 study will help the Government implement policies, programmes and legislation that will help bridge the gap between this segment of the population and other young adults in Bermuda.

A previous study commissioned by former Premier Alex Scott in 2005 was not completed and its findings will not be released because it was decided a more comprehensive one was needed, Premier Ewart Brown said yesterday.

The research project, entitled A Study of Employment, Earnings and Educational Attainment Gaps Between Young Black and White Men in Bermuda, is being headed by Professor Ronald Mincy from Columbia University's School of Social Work.

The Government will be paying $200,000 while U.S.-based Atlantic Philanthropies will underwrite the other half of the cost.

Dr. Brown said: "We concede and celebrate that many black men, young and otherwise, are doing relatively well – getting their education, working hard, supporting their families, starting businesses and contributing to the well-being of their respective communities, despite the perceived odds.

"But we do acknowledge that more needs to be done to identify those areas of Bermudian society which may be fuelling the rise and growing prevalence of behaviours which inhibit the life chances of growing number from this very valued sub-group.

"For longer than most would care to remember, some amongst us were ignored, disadvantaged and viewed as having little or no value. But this Government recognises that in a country with limited human resources we can no longer afford to squander precious human potential."

The findings will be tabled in the House of Assembly and used to make recommendations for policy, programmes and legislation to close the achievement gap between young black males and other young adults in Bermuda.

The last study on young black males was commissioned in May 2005 by then Premier Alex Scott. Sociologist Roy Wright was called out of retirement to conduct the study, proposed to Government by the Committee on Black Men, which included Government backbencher Wayne Perinchief, who is now Minister of Cultural Affairs, former Government Sen. Walter Roban and political activist Rolfe Commissiong, who is now the Premier's adviser.

Prof. Mincy who is heading the new study, said the previous one did not go far enough.

In particular it failed to take in the family background of many of the young men it studied. He added that this study would be using more statistical data than the previous one and would interoperate the data individually, to see what earnings and standard of living the young men have, but will also look at their families.

This study will rely heavily on statistical data and then in the second phase interview people. It will start on October first and be completed in April, 2009. Professor Mincy, who has worked with both the Carter and Clinton administrations, will be assisted by Daltonelle Minors, a Bermudian educator who will serve as a Bermuda-based research assistant.