Murder Rate Soars for Young Black Men : Violence: The state’s death toll went up 71% in four years, a study finds, making it No. 2 in the U.S. Health and civil rights officials urge immediate action.

Young black men in California were nearly twice as likely to be murdered in 1987 as their counterparts nationwide, according to a new federal study released Thursday.

The study also found that the homicide rate for black males between the ages of 15 and 24 leaped more than 71% in California and 40% nationwide between 1984 and 1987. Michigan was the only state with a rate higher than California in that year--the latest for which figures have been compiled.

The national Centers for Disease Control report caused civil rights organizations and health officials to call for immediate and intense action to combat violence among minorities and in urban areas.

“This is a problem of enormous magnitude for this group,” said CDC epidemiologist Robert Froehlke. “If there were a disease and that disease had increased 40% in four years . . . there would be substantial public health efforts to eradicate that. It rings some alarms for health agencies.”

The rate nationwide for black men in this age group rose from 60.5 homicides per 100,000 in 1984 to 84.7 per 100,000 in 1987.

By comparison, the rate in California was 153 murders for every 100,000 young black males in 1987. Michigan posted 231.6 homicides per 100,000.

More than half the homicides among this group occurred in California, Michigan, Florida, Missouri, New York and the District of Columbia. Firearms were involved in 80% of the murders.

Richard Iglehart, California’s chief assistant attorney general, refused to speculate on why California’s homicide rate among young black men was higher than all but one other state. But he cited drugs as the primary cause.

“The increase is almost totally caused by drugs,” he said. “The instant power of drugs that is available to people who are substantially powerless is such a strong lure.”

“It’s a tragedy,” Iglehart said. “It ought to be a subject matter that is No. 1 in rank--not just among black leaders--but among the public in general.”

He added: “The solutions are most effective the closer you get to your community. . . . The paradox is (that) the money is not available locally.”

Homicide has been the leading cause of death for young black men for some years. In 1987, murder accounted for 42% of deaths among these young men nationwide--54.2% in California.

Moreover, the death toll shows no signs of abating. In fact, preliminary figures indicate that in 1988, the homicide rate among young black males increased 19% over the previous year.

Minority and civil rights groups were not surprised at the statistics, but called for increased federal and local programs to give young black males alternatives to drugs and street crime.

“These young people are growing up in an environment of violence,” said Joseph Lowery, president of the Georgia-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a national civil rights advocacy group.

“They flounder in an environment where major economic opportunities are in the illicit, illegal world of drugs . . . and easy access to firearms,” Lowery said.

The solutions lie in federal and community programs to provide more job opportunities, job training and better education, said Tyrone Crider, executive director of Operation Push, a national human rights organization headquartered in Chicago.

“We had expected increases,” CDC’s Froehlke said. “But the degree is very remarkable, particularly in light of the fact that the white male race has not experienced these types of increases.”

The national murder rate for young white males was 11 deaths per 100,000. Of every 100,000 young females, 17.7 blacks and 3.9 whites die in homicides, the report said.

Domestic violence, child abuse, rape and disputes between acquaintances were contributing factors in the homicide rate for females, the CDC said. Other important contributors included easy access to firearms, alcohol and substance abuse, drug trafficking, poverty, racial discrimination and “cultural acceptance of violent behavior,” the report stated.

Deadly Numbers Homicide rates per 100,000 population for persons from 15 to 24 years old: Black males 1984: 60.5 1987: 84.7 Black Females 1984: 14.8 1987: 17.7 White males 1984: 10.9 1987: 11.0 White Females 1984: 4.3 1987: 3.9 Source: Centers for Disease Control