County partnering with AR Youth Services to address juvenile crime

County partnering with AR Youth Services to address juvenile crime

Mentoring program seen as tool in tackling issue countywide

news@theeveningtimes.com

Crittenden County has agreed to partner with Arkansas Division of Youth Services to oversee funding to help develop a community- based coalition of faith-based groups to address juvenile crime.

Sheila Foster, Disproportionate Minority Contact Coordinator with Division of Youth Services, told the Quorum Court that the agency is working with Pastor Anthony King of Faith International Ministry Center in West Memphis to come up with a mentoring program aimed at reducing juvenile crime countywide.

“We have been searching out people in the faith based community and people who are currently doing things in the community to serve the youth,” Foster said. “But we want to take them to a different level by providing training to make sure they know how to address these issues, and introduce them to the detention centers, and to let the juvenile judges know that they are here in the community and have programs that are available.”

Crittenden County has been identified as one of four counties in Arkansas with a high disproportionate minority contact rate of juveniles being detained in juvenile lockups.

Foster said there are already a lot of local nonprofits in the community — like Pastor King — who are already doing the work.

“So we want to bring them together as a coalition and help out because there is a great need,” Foster said. “Crittenden County has fallen through the cracks and we don’t want to leave Crittenden County behind because you are one of the counties we identified where the numbers are high. This has to be addressed.”

Pastor King said he and his wife are already involved in community relations and helping juveniles in West Memphis.

“Currently we’ve been working with the school system,” King said. “Our church has been an entity for juveniles and youth coming through that.”

Kind said they also host a steak dinner every year for city leaders and law enforcement

to build relationships

to help better serve the youth, and are working on reaching out to other churches to join in the effort.

“Right now we are in the process of formulating stakeholders and individuals and developing partnerships for all those who are already involved with our juveniles,” King said.

The coalition will receive $10,000 to put together programs to help keep juveniles from offending.

Avestine Ward, a juvenile justice specialist with Division of Youth Services, said the Quorum Courts in those counties that they have identified with the great need have agreed to serve as the pass through agencies.

“The money would come into your account and then you would distribute it for the services that they would render out into the community,” Ward said. “Judge Wheeless would have to sign off on all forms stating that the work has been performed and the receipts and supporting documentation for the invoices coming in to us.”

Foster said the first step is to identify a coalition leader.

Pastor King and the other coalition partners will be trained how to mentor juveniles, how to take assessments of their home life, and programs to address parenting skills as well.

“All of those are contributing mechanisms for the kids coming in to custody,” Foster said. “We already house some of your juveniles in our facilities. And you already have people in your community doing the work. So why not train some of your own people so the kids can be referred to them for mentoring and reintroduced back into the community. We have got to paint a picture for these kids because they think it is cute to play around in juvenile court for years. But when they look up and they are going to adult prison, it’s a shock to them.”

Justice Tyrone McWright said he is in favor of the local effort and expressed confidence that Pastor King is the right person to lead the effort.

“I feel confident he can guide them,” McWright said. “He can talk to them and relate to them. We’re just a go through. We do this all the time. So let’s go through.”

Justice Stacy Allen agreed. “I’m down for it,” Allen said. “Since I’m in law enforcement, I know there is a need for kids to try and stay out. I hope it will work and that churches in Crittenden will come together — black and white — and not be in competition. Let’s make it work.”

By Mark Randall