About the Juvenile Justice Project (JJP)
At any given point in time there are scores of young people who have up to 16 hours of court ordered community service who are unable to complete this in the allotted time, due to many barriers. Part of the challenge is finding willing partners who want to create meaningful service projects and not simply free labor. One of the other chief barriers is that Juvenile court lacks adequate resources to perform outreach to recruit new partners and the practice of assigning community service by Zip Code as opposed to a more neighborhood based approach, means sometimes the available service opportunities are far away from where the young person lives. As a result the process is alienating, lacks parental and community buy in, creates hardships, and adds both needless court appearances and administrative costs.
Through direct outreach, we are working to inform and recruit local churches, neighborhood and civic organizations, and grassroots leaders in communities with limited access to service opportunities to become partners in providing community service opportunities within their own neighborhoods. This is a community led approach to addressing crime that is developed, enacted, and led by youth and adult leaders from the community and for that community. Help us build a better Memphis and partner with our youth by signing up here.
The Juvenile Justice Project is also looking for adults with community service who have a passion for the future of our youth. If you’d like to volunteer or need service hours to meet requirements for a Court Order, or benefit programs like SNAP & WIC, we have opportunities to get all of your hours taken care of through canvassing, PTA/PTO meetings, teaching young people their constitutional rights, and so much more! We are looking to partner with parents and invested community members to help us grow and strengthen our relationships in Hickory Hill and Bartlett. Email Faith Pollan at faith@midsouthpeace.org for more information.
Additionally, we are looking to build a youth council for young people interested in influencing the future of Hickory Hill. If you are in middle or high school and have a passion for the future of your neighborhood and community we are looking for you. We hope this council will be a combination of youth who have been involved with the juvenile justice system as well as other interested teens. This is a great way to get service hours and make a difference.
Know Your Rights Theatre
Most of us, even us “woke” folks, have been well schooled on what we think our rights are when it comes to encounters with police officers. Cop dramas and movies have informed many of our beliefs about the way police interact with the public, and often this has shaped the way we engage with law enforcement in real life either consciously or unconsciously. Memphis United wants to clear up these misconceptions so that we can all be successful when we encounter law enforcement.These unique workshops use interactive theatre to educate young people about their rights and how to better communicate with law enforcement. Participants become the actors playing out real-life scenarios without the real-life consequences of an encounter law enforcement. We run these workshops for free and we’ll come to you. We love visiting schools, youth groups, clubs, etc.
If you want us to do a workshop with your organization reach out to Faith Pollan at faith@midsouthpeace.org.