While I agree with most of what your saying (there is a lot of blame to go around) my obversations of inner city problems (I've grown up and lived in Los Angeles county) is that there is an attitude today that I don't think existed a generation or two ago. The poverty in these areas is either generational, or it's because of the illegal immigration influx.
A case in point, is I worked on a job where we brought in kids who couldn't cut it in regular school. They were given "work credits" towards their graduation requirements. My boss was a highly educated black woman from Gana Africa. She was very leary of our young American black employees. She couldn't understand their attitudes. The chip on the shoulder, almost defiant of authority.. It also showed up in their work efforts and ability to take direction and follow through, but not because they were stupid by any means. The immigrant kids were almost the exact opposite.
Maybe this isn't a very good explanation of what I'm trying to say, but it I think you know what I'm getting at.