The Juvenile Justice Project has been hosting monthly Partner Meetings since this past winter. These meetings are attended by official members of the Juvenile Justice Project (sign your organization up here), Hickory Hill community stakeholders, local politicians, and middle and high school students. In these meetings we discuss issues that ensare our youth in the juvenile justice system and how we can prevent this through community service initiatives. It has been an exciting couple of months planning community clean ups, JJP days of service, forming a Youth Council, and more! We want you to get involved! These meetings are open to the public and we especially encourage the participation of middle and high school students who live or go to school in zip codes 38125, 38141, 38115, 38133. We will be working on several projects this summer with our Youth Council that will encourage leadership and community involvement. Our next meeting is Wednesday, June 6 at noon at Leonard’s BBQ (5465 Fox Plaza Dr, Memphis, TN 38115). If you know a teen who wants to get involved with our Youth Council, contact Faith Pollan at faith@midsouthpeace.org or 901-725-4990.
The JJP is working with Juvenile Court to build networks of churches and organizations to address our high number of youth offenders and the lack of opportunities for court ordered community service, specifically in the areas of Hickory Hill & Bartlett. We believe that youth are the solution, not the problem so we work with these teens to help them find their place in their communities through transformative service opportunities. Studies continue to show that punitive measures often lead to a continued life of crime as opposed to seeking more rehabilitative opportunities, MSPJC believes in working with those most affected by the issues. Help us build a better Memphis and partner with our youth!