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The mayor of one Mississippi city on Monday announced his new focus on community intervention as crime among youth rises.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba held a press conference to discuss how community groups and outreach efforts could help young people turn away from a life of crime. He specifically cited local organization Strong Arms of Jaxn, which provides mentorship and resources to people affected by incarceration, as an essential part of preventing the cycle of violence.
"It is difficult to convince me we can't do a better job to interrupt that cycle," Lumumba said.
The press conference came after Jackson recorded its deadliest year ever with 155 homicides in 2021. At least five cases had suspects under age 18. Lumumba previously attributed the statistics to multiple factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of resources due to systemic poverty.
However, according to local news station WLBT 3, Jackson's homicide rate throughout 2021 was 99.5 per 100,000 residents, higher than cities like St. Louis and Memphis.
Solutions to the rising numbers are still unclear, as Lumumba and other Jackson officials are still working toward a way to reduce crime throughout the city. But Lumumba hopes that more effective outreach programs, such as Strong Arms, will be critical in reducing numbers.
"What we have to be aiming toward above all is to make sure that the harm stops," Lumumba said. "I invite you to participate as we move forward with 2022 and turn a new page to be part of making that and incorporating that as part of our story."
Terun Moore and Benny Ivey are directors of Strong Arms of Jaxn.
Moore said he had problems with decision-making when he was younger. He joined a gang and served nearly 20 years in prison for murder. Now he is using that experience to help others.
"We find that our young people need love and it's a problem that can't be policed," Moore said, adding that other organizations and community partners need to be part of finding solutions.
Ivey, a former gang leader who now mentors those in juvenile detention, said people shouldn't place blame about crime entirely on the mayor's office and police. He said others in the community should also carry some responsibility for failing children in Jackson.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
