WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Recently, Wilmington has seen an uptick in juveniles involved in violent crimes.
The Raise the Age Law went into effect in December 2019, meaning 16 and 17-year-olds are no longer tried as adults for less-serious offenses. New Hanover County Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Manager Jamie Roten says this in combination with the loss of structure and stability due to COVID-19 could be causing the increase.
“Whether it be after-school activities, involvement in sports, just involvement in school on a daily basis,” Roten said. “So once that structure is removed, it leaves a void and so what we’ve seen is youth seeking out ways to fill that void.”
Roten says he’s seen everything from gun violence, to gang activity, to drugs and alcohol use.
The county programs focus heavily on prevention, with many facilitators stationed in New Hanover County elementary and middle schools. Roten says the programs work to teach children about their emotions and building strong relationships.
If a child has entered the juvenile justice system, the county then offers other resources to help the child and their family pivot back in the right direction.
“Our case managers working as well to help families become whole again, so finding employment, finding housing, helping families get stability back,” Roten said.
If the county is not able to help or provide resources, they connect youth and families with programs that may better suit their needs, like Voyage of Wilmington.
“From our perspective, the best way to combat the violence is through uplifting the community as a whole and taking that public health, community-based approach at empowering youth and showing them a different path in life,” Voyage Executive Director Genna Wirth said.
With home base in the heart of the Northside of Wilmington at the Hemenway Center, Wirth says they are working to get resources that promote success out into the community with a goal to break the cycle of poverty, create a pathway to success, and decrease the violence over time.
Echoing the need for structure, Wirth says it’s important for young people to surround themselves with positive adult influences.
”I understand how hard it is to maybe separate yourself from maybe your best friends, your cousins, or your family members who are involved in that, but you need to think about what’s the best thing for you as an individual,” Wirth said. “What’s going to be the best thing for you is going to be taking yourself out of that situation and getting involved in positive things.”
Voyage provides a wide range of programs and Wirth says they’re always willing to adapt to the needs of whatever that child needs. Reassuring any interested children or families that Voyage is a judgment-free zone, she encourages anyone interested in their programs to give them a call and they can figure out which programs best suit your situation and needs.
The application deadline for the Voyage Summer Employment Program is coming up on March 15. Wirth says anyone between the ages of 14 and 19 are eligible and the work program pays more than minimum wage. For more information on this program and contact information for Voyage, visit their website.
The county youth programs are happy to help or direct anyone seeking guidance, Roten says to call him at (910)798-6491 anytime or send him an email at jroten@nhcgov.com and he will be happy to help guide you through county programs or connect you with a non-profit that fits your needs.
"crime" - Google News
March 10, 2021 at 05:46AM
https://ift.tt/3kZgszL
Some say uptick in teens involved in violent crime likely connected to COVID-19 - WWAY NewsChannel 3
"crime" - Google News
https://ift.tt/37MG37k
https://ift.tt/2VTi5Ee
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Some say uptick in teens involved in violent crime likely connected to COVID-19 - WWAY NewsChannel 3"
Post a Comment