Government's latest study on the young black male has been given a mixed reaction by family activists — amid criticism previous reports have been shelved while Government appeared to be underplaying the effect of poverty.

Premier Ewart Brown has hired American Professor Ronald Mincy for the $400,000 study after claims a recent study by Bermudian professor Roy Wright didn't go far enough.

Earlier this week Prof. Mincy, whose work has focused on the decline in the family, told The Royal Gazette that the project would also look at why black females were doing much better than their male counterparts,

And he said low male earnings were putting strains on marriages.

But Sheelagh Cooper, of the Coalition for the Protection of Children, said the number of children born out of wedlock had stayed at around 33 percent for the last 60 or 70 years.

She told The Royal Gazette: "One wonders whether this newest foray into researching the problem is going to be taken as seriously as the report on sustainable development has been. The time and money spent on revisiting the over-researched topic of whether the presence of a father in children's family life has a positive impact is rather absurd."

Ms Cooper said studies around the world had showed the wider the wealth gap between rich and poor became, the more low income males were likely to commit violent crime.

"We have seen this gap grow exponentially over the last few years along with the increases in violent and predatory crime."

She said low income families, primarily black, were under stress. "We have to address the economics of the situation which lies at the root of all this turmoil."

Research showed poorly-behaved boys were more likely to be thrown out of the home than poorly-behaved girls, said Ms Cooper, and then find solace by joining a gang.

"Given the enormity of the task of redressing the extreme economic disparity (that ever widening gap) it is not surprising that Government has chosen to study the problem further.

"Without question subsidies are needed to allow homeless families to have adequate housing and be able to feed and clothe their children without working two or three jobs.

"Thought needs to be given to what constitutes a sustainable wage that reflects the actual costs of raising a family in Bermuda.

"The link between poverty and violent crime is crystal clear and until we address the former we will not begin to affect the later."

The Family Centre executive director Martha Dismont also raised concerns that another survey had been contracted without making use of all of the prior recommendations. "I would like to see Dr. Quincy's work become part of a holistic plan to address the challenges that families are having, in general, in Bermuda," she said.

"It becomes difficult to support initiatives when it feels like another isolated attempt to address an issue that is obviously important, but needs to be part of an overall plan.

"Dr. Mincy has noted that he doesn't believe the issue is just about black males, and I agree — it is very connected to the break down in family, and how we have portrayed black males in this community."

She said many of Bermuda's youth lacked proper education and good parenting so had the challenge of living without committed adults to guide them and living with no real sense of purpose.

Other problems include single parents having to work two or more jobs to cope with housing costs and struggling to make ends meet in a high cost economy, said Ms Dismont. Bermuda's job market, requiring skills that many currently do not possess, was another problem, she said.

She added: "I applaud government for the priority focus, and I challenge them to make this study part of an overall plan to address family issues in Bermuda.

"I believe the work of the Sustainable Development task force and the plan that was developed should be utilised in this regard."