Why do people keep saying things like "Why is this white privileged chick talking about this" it's probably better that she is that and talking about it because as mentioned she is privileged. She can have her voice heard more easily than the people she talked about and that's good for them.

"Speak the truth even if your voice shakes"

I have a lot of respect for this woman. She has more guts than me to get up on that stage, and she went way above what most people would do. She actually got out there and is doing something.

The comments here are kind of sad, everyone seems to focus just on one particular part of the speech and not the point that children are getting arrested and given criminal records for things that, had they have been in a richer neighbourhood or school they would have been let off with just a day of detention or a warning, that children are being punished for being born into a family that is poor or is a part of the minority. I have had a friend that had been in the same basic situation, her father had unknowingly bought her a car that had been reported stolen, and yet, all the cops did was take down notes, look at the receipt that proved that her father had bought it, and they let her go, properly going after the company who had sold the car. I've seen a fair share of school fights and all that has been done is teacher yelling and dragging off the ones involved in the fight to detention, not jail. The point that I believe this speaker is getting at is that a child should not be thrown in jail and have their futures ruined for doing the same things other kids have done, or being a part of an accident they couldn't control simply because they come from a poor neighbourhood or happen to be of colour. She's trying to make the point that perhaps justice isn't truly blind, otherwise rich white kids would have just as many criminal records for the stupid things that kids do as the less advantaged ones, she's not saying that kids should not be punished for doing something wrong, but that sending a kid to jail because they pushed another kid or because they happened to be in a car that was stolen is too harsh, after all, if it had been some rich white person's son sent to jail for being in a car that had apparently been stolen, there would have been outrage, a public apology and their record erased.

Sound like shes about to burst into tears any second.

I applaud Goffman for a well-delivered, passionate, speech. I admire that she used her position of privilege to challenge the oppression of the less-priveleged members her community. The institutionalized discrimination she speaks of is not just an issue for American people of color, it is an issue that effects EVERY American. I'm disheartened by the sexism, classism and racism in many of the comments.

“Why are we offering only handcuffs and jail time?” Per pupil spending in the Washington DC school system is approaching $30,000 per year. The system is 67% black based on the most recent statistics. Reading and writing proficiency is abysmal. Two of three meals per day per student are free or reduced in price for those who need it. There are a myriad of after school programs to keep kids busy. Most school systems in urban areas are like this. I'd say that we are offering plenty, but the parents have to step up.

Don't understand the dislikes. Truth hurts. She held a fact based speech and pointed to directions that could offer a better future. What is the benefit to the society with the current handling of this problem. It only benefits the private owners of these so called correction facilities.

Good speech but she sounds like she's going to break out in tears at any moment.

How can some TED Talks subscribers be so racist? I thought you were in here for the knowledge?

Thank you, Alice. That's an real eye-opener that it's often the environment where we live rather then our intelligence, skills or values that determines our future. I hope it will help many people to realize this and that we have so many opportunities to change it by playing different games, by focusing on different things and by just taking different approach than the one which ends in jail. Thank you once more.

I commend you for doing more than just writing, you witness the issues and was able to share with those who would never think of living in a society. I would only hope more will see the cause and need to do more than just observe a demographic society.

I don't understand why someone advocating for the increase of human rights, minority rights, and increasing awareness to these issues is a bad person and coming under fire for doing this morally right thing. I don't believe in letting white people run these dialogues, but if a white person can dedicate their life to the increase of awareness of institutionalized systems of oppression and work with these disparaged communities as modern day abolitionists with POC and acknowledge their privilege and use it to help dismantle a system that gives disproportionate power then I applaud that. White people can never understand the struggle of minorities and POCs, but if they can give light to the atrocities of modern day racism by spreading a message largely not covered by media culture in America I can applaud that as well.

Excellent speech! We need a whole new schooling system.. job system, and housing system. Its the future.A system where we don't create bad people. ;)

is she the daughter of the great Erving Goffman? If yes: HOLY ..! Erving Goffman is a classic Sociologist, great theories, great work, everyone should read him

Quality message and script. Needs delivery practice. Sounds so shaky / not confident, makes the message weaker. Hope she practices that for future lectures.

Exactly what a struggling inner city community needs. A white, middle class, acadmic Joan of Arc bringing their TRUTH to a TED talk. Her thesis advisor must be so proud of her.

This would have been alright over a decade ago... But now collage is turning out to be useless for most... Its worse then prisons and a life in debt. You cant even protect yourself from them by bankruptcy. Most high profile jobs are not even hiring by degree anymore. Also all but the top of the top cant even keep up with current knowledge at the rate its increased/ing to. Labor market = slave market the whole thing really is set up as a form of slavery. Of coarse society requires a certain lvl of "blank" to maintain; but the irony is w/o evolving it never maintains; it historically always goes into decline. Luckily we all are atm; well for those that survive the disruption coming (already underway.)

I'm a white guy who lived with black people for a while, so I kind of know what you're talking about. Black people are under-privileged. The people I lived with didn't own a computer or even a cell phone, so they didn't have access to the internet. I wonder what would have happened if I'd bought them a computer and hooked them up with internet. I tend to think that internet access is almost a human right, at least in developed countries. How can young people, going to school, do their homework without internet access? Sure, they could go to a library. If they had transportation, which they don't. Cars cost money and so do buses. So these young people are left without access to the outside world - a world full of knowledge and information. If only they had access to it, it might change their lives.

To teach kids how to love, accept, and uplift one another is so important. It can end things like systemic racism, gender inequality, etc. Adults need to give them all a chance and prioritize their success. The world needs more people like you, Alice.

hate only hate, fear only fear and live to love. Thank you for a beautiful speech.

God this was beautiful. I am so happy she used her privilege to come forward and give such a great speech on something so incredibly important. I was beyond moved to tears by this and I could tell she was trying to hold it in as well throughout her speech, showing her passion and empathy for this subject. The speech was well-written, well-paced, and well-spoken. She had my full attention the entire time. Well done, Goffman

Excellent, impassioned people with heartfelt, inspiring and relevant messages - that is what I (used to) expect from TED

What a great talk! Although during the whole time I thought she was going to break down and cry. If this is a symptom of working within our system then our system has a major problem .

she was excellent and very passionate. i wonder how many people in the audience actually listened to her.

This speech brought me to tears, her book is entirely worth the read as well.

I am Native and its similar. on the next reserve from my mothers reserve a man stole a chocolate bar and wound up doing life and is still on the inside. another was put in for a horrific rape crime. in 1979 and is still in, even tho DNA tests cleared him.

Good message but she sounds like she's gonna cry any second throughout the whole speech. So uncomfortable to listen to.

A beautiful mind!!!!! she like me, not for color but for justice. Thank you Alice!!!!!

Amazing! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

*Chauvinists* out in full force again. Can't stand to see a _beautiful, powerful woman_ succeed? It's 2015, come on. *_Real men_* know how to treat a woman, by automatically liking the video no matter what the content is. Kind Regards, Wyatt Nite

she sounds a little nervous but great speech

I wonder why there are so many dislikes on this video, she hasn't stated anything but simple, verifiable facts, and presented it in a perfectly acceptable manner, nothing to dislike here as far as I can tell?

That is horrible. I also heared that there is one City-district where 60% had were arrested or have to fear it, mainly due to debt and petty offenses that in many other countries wouldn't bring you into prison.

dont bother to read the comments below, this is a good ted talk

Some of her sob stories don't check out... newramblerreview.com/book-reviews/law/ethics-on-the-run

I hate the way she was smiling and looked like she was going to cry the whole time

Wow. This speech really opened my eyes. I honestly never knew the word "bad" had three syllables before.

How can I get in touch with where Alice Goffman works or how she advocates? My daughter needs to connect with her. She is in the same passion boat for the same thing!!!!!!!!! Kudos young lady! You are doing what this nation needs!

I love how passionate she is.

Thank you Alice

This broke my heart.

Am I the only one who just weeped as she spoke. This is sooooooo sad and very sensitive.

When she said I met two brothers I thought she meant...hahahaha

I think everyone should do research on "zero tolerance policies" in school districts and pay attention to which school districts implement these policies. A fight equals 9 days out of school, even if your child is trying to defend themselves and didn't start it. And let's just hope the school doesn't employ police officers that handcuff kids as young as kindergarten for doing things like throwing tantrums.

Excellent talk!

Half of these ppl in the comments heard black and help in the same sentence and the rest of the video just went out the window...

This is true for any country. The crime rates are higher among poorer people. It is not because they are black as some people seem to think. It is just that in the US there is a more obvious connection between race and poverty. Again, some people want to say well that's just because they're black rather than thinking a little deeper and saying maybe it has something to do history, with power structures and deeply ingrained attitudes. Kids from deprived backgrounds are more likely to go through thew wrong side of the system and then pass that on to their kids, whatever their race. One child is born affluent and white, one child is born poor and black, how likely is each to end up in prison? Is this fair? Can anything be done?

Good speech and has good points but did anyone else find the way she smiled the whole time kinda weird? She also sounded like she is out of breath all of time. Or am I the only one?

Ignore the Clergy. Baltimore spends more money per student 15,000 a year than any other big city by NYC. 60% of those 18-25 don't have a High school diploma. For comparison the state of Utah spends $6,212 per student.

This is fantastic.

this made me feel better about my own country! I thought Georgia was a developing nation.

I do understand that for every crime it should be a punishment. period.

I much admire the profound insights on life in communities of color and policing offered by white middle class college students who wrote a paper about it. Alice, dear, here is how life works in the big city. Jim pushes John's face into the snow during lunch. By 3:00 both Jim's friends and John's friends are squaring off and weapons are coming out because everyone is scared of how this is going to play out. At 5:00, one of Jim's friends gets into a fist fight with one of John's. At 7:00, one of John's friends knifes one of Jim's friends in retaliation. At 9:00, one of Jim's friends cranks off a few rounds at John's house because of the stabbing. At 11:00 A friend of Jim's is shot while hanging on the street corner to settle that score. At 1:00, John gets shot in payback for what happened to Jim's friend. This can go on for weeks. The body count; sky's the limit. Alice, dear, please don't talk about what you clearly don't understand.

She sounds like she is crying the WHOLE time. Great message though. Sad that now-day white society can't understand it.

She’s amazing

This video which was just posted yesterday is not an end in itself, so why should we say that it's bad? Why should we say that it's not going to have a good effect? Who's to say that this talk isn't one of many factors leading to more stories from the insiders? Who's to say it won't inspire more awareness and research? Who's to say it won't inspire funding for a good cause?

I'm a bit confused... At 3:00 she claims that we (the American law-abiding citizens) are "asking" America's poor youth to live in halfway-houses, house arrest, and to deal with a Police force that seeks out criminals where they're most common. Others would say that they have ELECTED to live on house arrest through their choice not to obey the law. She implies that color and economic standing are justifiably correlated to higher crime rates, when in actuality, color and class are just excuses. And on the subject of the police... how many avid hunters do you see setting up a deer stand in downtown NYC? 0. Because everybody knows the best place to find a deer is in a forest, or beside an interstate. Of course the Police, who are employed to (although sometimes poorly) enforce the law, will seek to find crime in the areas where it is most common. Her confusion confuses me.

bravo

This is something everyone needs to see. Maybe you don't agree maybe you do, but this is worth spreading.

This is so sad...

2:28 Argentina has 1 over 100.000... meh i almost can go out right now and rob a grocery store, turn myself in, and be free by monday... literally

Can I please just watch this video and not be forced to over-analyze for english like please

Lol when i was 16 i was in juvenile hall then into california state juvenile camp now im 20 and watching tedx's

Social scientists have been tracking this for years. Is Philadelphia sharply different than Charlotte, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Los Angeles or Dallas? The characterizations here lay the blame heavily on the police and perhaps some vaguely undefined system for the long term struggle and criminality of the population in question. Is it the case that these kids are funneled down the path to prison by police or the system. The vast majority of police would quickly challenge her characterization of them. So would most general data that is available to social scientists. Major forces in culture, family and the economy definitely play a role in their struggle, but realistically, these factors don't lend themselves well to the anti-police narrative or the emphasis that the struggle is something primarily thrust upon them by social institutions motivated by the desire to imprison and otherwise exclude them. These kids do have a tough life and do face barriers, but the barriers are substantially different than Goffman implies here.

Damn y'all! You're going attacking this woman who is doing something great for our YOUTH. Forget the racial divide for a second. We want the generation/s behind us to be greater than us, right? Get over yourselves and think collectively. The point of humanity to help each be better, for everyone's gain.

I believe you have to look at it from not only an ethnic point of view/lifestyle. It's also your area, we deal with a lot of crack downs due to immigration. (Rightfully so,as a border town) But as having served as a Youth Pastor, our law enforcement has great initiatives as long as one is willing to take it. I have had youth, turn thier lives around and now as adults have families. It's about working with your community leaders, and not sitting back with a bag of popcorn to see what they do. Leaders of the community must have a sense of compassion & justice, and see what are the things that can be done. Better to give it our all, than to have done nothing.

Shout out to this lady. I'm reading her book right now. It's disturbing to see how much of a struggle these 6th Street boys go through. I never at all in all my life ever imagined how rough it would turn out. Now I know, I can only sit here and imagine. Never is it fair to pay up for something that you shouldn't be paying for since it isn't caused by you. Amazing work this lady did and her level of patience is incredible. 😊😊

I think disparate treatment is not limited to youth of color, although it is concentrated there. I think the poverty line is a major factor. I have seen two youth, both white, commit the same crime (break into the richer boy's dad's pharmacy. The poor boy did time in the county clinker. The richer boy, nada.

its a cultural thing. find this much crime in japans poorest neighborhoods. you wont.

Real y doloroso, gracias por tan impactante speech.

She talks like police are just coming to blacks and Latinos houses and just taking them. Not mentioning that they got in trouble and break the law. Maybe if they didn’t break the law they wouldn’t have the police coming in their houses and “taking them away and getting searched”.

More racist comments than I expected...America

I never went to college or prison and I'm an adult. I guess I'm not important though.

The more you want to be a good one - the more you need the evil. Tere is no good without the bad . And the justice system - these great numbers of people who must be feeded - needs some kind of justification for its existance

She looks like she is about to cry the entire time.

liked the talk, but it felt like she was about to cry at any moment during the talk. Its like listening to a mono-toned person. I'm thinking " are you about to make me feel emotional? nah not yet.. now?" Such nice lady, Good talk. but I couldn't tell if she was being passionately emotional or if that was her normal tone.

We blaming the police? The government? Society? I hear her story of these young children and the hardships that grow up in. But not about their parents. Ps... if the uncle bought the car, and had a receipt, the case would of been dismissed.

This is very frustrating to listen to. Very good tedtalk.

One of the rare 'TED' talks that doesn't suck/ doesn't pat itself on the back/ isn't all about white people (or people who want to be white)/ isn't ungodly dull. How about some speakers who aren't caucasian? Good lord.

Erving would be proud

Not sure about this Justice Affirmative Action. Will it be only for Blacks and Hispanics, or will it cover only the poor all throughout? How about the divide between men and women when it comes to incarceration rates? It should all be approached slowly and methodically.

Approved this week by the Florida Board of Education, the new race-based standards affect all 2.6 million students that attend the state’s 3,629 public schools. The mandate stipulates that by 2018, 90 percent of Asian students, 88 percent of white students, 81 percent of Hispanic students and 74 percent of black students are to be reading at or above grade level. The state also wants 86 percent of white students, 92 percent of Asians, 80 percent of Hispanics and 74 percent of blacks to be at or above their math grade level, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Lol this comment section is definitely moderated

Perfection

One word for all you commentators...TOLERANCE!

This is why I'm a sociology major

take self responsibility

There is a well-known saying among people throughout prison system for more than 30 years since, that "If you walk like a duck, dress like duck, talk like duck, eat like duck, watch the same TV like duck, and hang around among ducks; then you are duck" So, what is so surprise about all these poor neighborhoods or the ghettos? Altc

She acts like we are inconveniencing people who break the law with court fees, jail time, and probation, when in actuality, it is them that inconvenience society by breaking the law in the first place. I'm sorry, but this girl is delusional.

Funneled down the path? So...everyone is prison isn't guilty? No hearings, trials, appeals? Education and family would take care of this problem.

Why doesn't she go down to Baltimore and preach? I'm sure those black youths she's trying to support will culturally enrich her.

50% of comments: Bullshit talk! I thought Ted Talks were supposed to be knowledgeable! Disliked! 30% of comments: Great Inspirational talk! It really shows the crime rate in black neighborhoods! Liked! 20% of comments: She's going to cry any second during the speech!

This is very eye opening tho

Some good observations but definitely wrong solution. How come some many refugees from Asia can live a better lives than these people and have the 2nd generation in colleges and become middle class, while these people mostly never move up? Those refugees don't know English language and less access to the welfare system (the don't know the system).The answer is: responsibility. The Asian culture is, you are responsible for your life and your family's. These people blame the society for everything. If anything goes wrong, it must be the fault of someone else. The liberal ask the government to take more and more responsibilities. I have read an article by an African American and she said, in the 1960s, a teen mom would tell her daughter to avoid being a teen mom. A teen boy would grow up and learn responsibility after his child is born. But nowadays, They don't have the urge to take the responsibility - it leaves to the government and society to take care the foods and other thing. If they fail in school test, it's because of not enough resources. The liberals even sue department of education because they conduct tests before issuing diplomas. The solution is changing the culture of some communities, teach them what is responsibility.

This should be shown to everyone in the academy and there should be more Ethical supervision in the police field, it’s disgusting how much of a power trip some cops get once they get the badge. I am feeling very thankful that I don’t live in America.

Video makes a lot of sound points. Comments however...

If its a problem, we need to look into its causes.

Goffman’s book is a great read

US-Americans, you have so many nice people why you use your tax money for wars, weapons and other terrible things not only in US also in foreign countries?