Today’s Los Angeles Times includes a story about violence and student athletes, with reference to California Assembly Bill 2165. In my view, author Paul Pringle frames the issue a bit too narrowly, focusing most of his lengthy article on two-year college athletic programs, and only those within the state of California. Nevertheless, it’s another bright spotlight shining down on a serious problem that’s been allowed to flourished under cover of darkness for far too long.
Here are two brief excerpts:
“Over the last half-dozen years, athletes at California’s two-year colleges — the nation’s largest higher-education system — have been arrested on suspicion of murder, rape, felony assault and burglary, among other offenses.
But some experts say college athletes as a group break the law at a high rate. Research published in 1995 by the Journal of Sport and Social Issues found that male athletes at selected four-year colleges accounted for about 3% of students, but 19% of those accused of sexual assault.
A coauthor of the study, Jeff Benedict, who has since written several books on athletes and crime, said: “The situation is worse, in my judgment, than it was then. It’s worse in terms of the numbers of players having problems with lawlessness, and worse in terms of the severity of the offenses.”
… “Grossmont won the California title last year, after using for part of the season three players who had been convicted in the felony beating of a San Diego State student. … The Grossmont episode has inspired state legislation. The bill, AB 2165, which is on the governor’s desk, would disqualify from athletics at state and community colleges any violent felons who have yet to complete their sentences or probation.”
You can read the entire article here.