Hundreds of concerned citizens showed up to New Salem Baptist Church Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, to discuss rising juvenile crime and potential solutions at the Shelby County Crime Commission Forum.

Representatives from city and community organizations were present at the church at 2237 South Parkway E., including Crimestoppers, Memphis Allies, Safeways, Freedom From Unnecessary Negatives (F.F.U.N.) and LeBonheur Children’s Hospital.

Forum panelists were Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis, Shelby County Crime Commission board chair Ben Adams, DCS Deputy Commissioner Darren Goods, Memphis Allies Executive Director Susan Deason and Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon. 

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“We all know why we’re here; we don’t need to belabor the fact that we’re all concerned about crime, particularly juvenile crime,” crime commission board chairman Adams said. “The amount of car thefts, guns thefts, carjackings and armed robberies — all the things that have taken place have really increased in recent years are causing concern for everyone.”

Attendees poured into the forum well after the 10:30 a.m. start time. As the church’s Sadie Wiley Banquet Hall filled, extra chairs brought out to accommodate the crowd. 

The forum opened with a video created by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office showing two incarcerated male individuals, their faces not shown, giving suggestions to a law enforcement officer about ways they can stop juvenile crime. 

After discussing suggestions such as more extra-curricular activity programs for children, job entrepreneurship programs and mentorship, the law enforcement officer asked what they would say as incarcerated individuals to youths involved in juvenile crime.

“Jail isn’t worth it. Put the gun down,” he said. “Put the AR-15 down. Stop the killing.”

Community leaders, stakeholders to discuss solutions to juvenile crime

Giving the city’s perspective on juvenile crime, MPD Chief C.J. Davis said in 2022 the MPD had more than 2,000 juvenile suspects, noting some as young as 11, 12 and even 10 years old were participating in auto thefts.

“I want this conversation to be about how do we come together with a comprehensive plan that everybody can commit to and execute, and we identify gaps in the process,” Davis said. “I’m committed for our police department to do what we can, not just to be reactive and responsible, but also to be proactive to keep children out of the hands of the justice system.

“Nobody wants to put a 10-year-old in a nasty patrol car.”

Davis noted leaders within the MPD have long conversations about how to tackle problems within the city such as juvenile crime but noted the MPD itself doesn’t have all the answers.

“This is an ecosystem, it’s more than just the police department or juvenile courts,” Davis said. “We have to look at the whole justice system and everyone taking a part in their specific roles — parents, churches, schools, city organizations— it really has to be a holistic approach to how we address the issues we’re facing.

“You can’t put a Band-Aid on a problem that requires a tourniquet.”

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Davis urged those attending to consider how they could do their part to combat juvenile crime.

“As we leave the room it’s my hope that we think ‘how do we execute a plan?’” Davis said. “How do we execute a plan that encapsulates everybody? How do we all plug into this pervasive problem that we see?” 

The state perspective on juvenile crime was given by Goods as Tennessee DCS deputy commissioner. Goods noted DCS has 52 new hires currently undergoing training to deal with DCS workers’ heavy caseloads.

Goods added Wilder Youth Development Center in Somerville, Tenn. has increased its service officer’s pay from $27,000 to $37,000 annually, with Commissioner Margie Quin requesting a further increase to $45,000.

“When a child leaves DCS custody my simple goal is to change their trajectory and put them in a better position where they could absolutely succeed,” Goods said.

Susan Deason is the executive director of Memphis Allies with Youth Villages. Deason agreed with the panel that a multi-faceted approach to combatting juvenile crime is needed and introduced the Memphis Allies program “Switch and Switch Youth: Working to Reduce Gun Violence.”

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Referencing the street language term “switch,” a small piece of metal that can turn a semi-automatic weapon into a more deadly automatic, “Switch” gives individuals at highest risk of involvement in gun violence the chance to put aside dangerous behaviors and move toward safety and stability for themselves and their families.

Switch Youth is designed for children from 12 to 17 years of age and provides long-term, individualized services from six to nine months, or longer if needed.

A four-person team including an outreach specialist, life coach, case manager and clinical specialist address trauma and mental health needs; identifies goals (housing, employment, educational/vocational training) and develops strategies to reach those goals. 

Switch teams intend to “ramp up” to serve seven regions of Memphis’ most disproportionately affected by gun violence: Raleigh/Frayser, Orange Mound, North Memphis, South Memphis, Binghampton, Hickory Hill and Whitehaven.

“In tandem these professionals will work with the family, again five to seven days a week,” Deason said. “That means showing up at school, after school programs, working with anyone who’s involved in that child’s life to wrap intensive services around them.

“We’re on call 24/7 and our goal is to be supportive to this family and this young person and they shift their mindset.”

Quoting a 2015 letter submitted to former Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham from a group of incarcerated juveniles, Sugarmon noted including incarcerated juveniles in the conversation about how to combat juvenile crime is absolutely necessary to understanding reasons why juveniles offend. 

“Rethink suspensions and expulsions,” the letter read. “More in-school suspensions and extended school days are essential.”

The letter also suggested making classes more of a fun experience to engage students and keep them in school and developing better relationships with teachers by having regular one-on-one meetings with students. 

“This letter is from children in 2015,” Sugarmon said. “They gave us our marching orders.”

Sugarmon said considering the children’s suggestions — what community members can do themselves to combat group crime — include donating time as a mentor, opening neighborhood facilities so children will have a safe place to go after school and in the summer, and exchanging suspensions and expulsions for anger-management and art therapy.

Sugarmon also added the COVID pandemic had a highly negative effect on children’s health.

“We have to find ways to deal with those emotional health issues,” Sugarmon said.

During the Q & A portion of the forum, attendees raised numerous questions regarding parental involvement, truancy and government responsibility when it comes to combatting juvenile crime.

Norman R. Redwing, a teacher at the Afrikan Heritage & Culture Village of Memphis, was among those attending the forum.

Redwing said bringing children involved in juvenile crime to a forum such as Saturday’s would help them know how many people are eager to help and get their input. “To actually have them at this table to put their feelings and their hurt and their brokenness on the table means a lot,” Redwing said.

Redwing noted in 1973 he was sentenced to an indefinite period of time in the former Tennessee Development Center. “It worked,” Redwing told the panel. “You know why it worked for me? I was at the table. I was included.”

He said community partnership will help stop juvenile crime. “We give away free books and educational materials, but it’s very difficult getting people to the table when we don’t have a partnership,” Redwing said. “If we partner as a community, we can restore pride and confidence in these young children.”