Within the search for knowledge, scientists must often be careful not to confuse causes with mitigating circumstances and statistical confusions. There are various types of mitigating circumstances and statistical confusions that can actually serve to obscure the real causes behind natural phenomenon. For example, if we look at the statistics surrounding the number of young black males in prisons, we may tend to conclude that those who are black and those who are black and live in economically-deprived urban centers are more prone to commit crime than are other groups of individuals. Overwhelmingly statistically, young black lower-income males represent the highest percentage of prison populations. Yet, these statistics are confusing because they serve to mask the real causes for this being the case in our prisons. For in the economically bereft urban centers from where most of these young black males are incarcerated there are other factors that serve to undermine the conclusions drawn from merely looking at criminal statistics. For example, these areas often fail to provide decent economic conditions for young black males. These areas usually provide few if any successful black role models for younger black males to model. These areas often have a higher percentage of young black males to turn to drugs or crime to make a living because they see more role modeling of this behavior than others. Finally, the high percentage of crime and the high percentage of black youths committing them may stem more from the economic conditions of the areas in which they live than the fact that they are black or poor themselves. Without any type of infrastructure that promotes achievement and non-criminal activity, it is doubtful any person could end up much differently. In other words, all of these factors are ones that mitigate the original conclusion which might be drawn from looking solely at statistics on crim
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