Expert advice
Adults look to juvenile detainees for suggestions on reducing violence
Mahal Burr and Evan Morrison sat in a circle with 10 teenage boys who were clad in orange jumpsuits Wednesday morning in a classroom at the Shelby County Juvenile Court detention center . Morrison asked the group members to raise their hands if they had seen violence happen at their schools. Everyone did. “That tells me you have something to bring to this conversation,” he said.
Burr and Morrison, both 24, of the BRIDGES orga ni zation , visited t he Hope Academy school i nside t he Juvenile Court to learn from the youths about how to address conflict and reduce violence.
Youngsters at t he facility, referred to as “detainees,” are awaiting trial on charges that include drug possession, firearm possession, assault, rape and murder.
“They are the ones who know the system, who know what works and what doesn’t work, and because they have all that knowledge they are the ones who can come up with solutions,” Burr said. “They have this knowledge that could really make a difference for other youths in Memphis.”
BRIDGES, a community organization that focuses on youth leadership, has surveyed dozens of teenagers from seventh to 12th grades — including four girls — during six visits to the detention facility.
The group plans to present the findings in a report to the Shelby County School board.
A 10th-grader from Raleigh Egypt High School said in-school suspension should replace out-of-school suspension.
“When people are at home, t hat is when they get in trouble,” the student said.
The teens said they have seen conflict in their schools caused by bullying, gang affiliations and gambling.
One boy said a source of conflict at his school is prostitution.
Among the suggestions for reducing conflict were an open gym after school — with access based on a rewards system — and bringing students into peace circles where each person in a conflict is allowed to speak.
The teens emphasized t hat mediation should be led by students instead of adults.
Another suggestion was to hold a 30-minute, homeroom-style class where students could check-in, work on teambuilding and state their highs and lows of the day.
“I think we should have a drug-and-violence-free party to show and tell teens how you can do things without weed or liquor,” said a 1 2th-grader from Oakhaven High School.
“And show them and tell how they can change the ways of how people look at them,” the student added.
Hope Academy is a partnership between t he Juvenile Court and Shelby County Schools.
The minors spend an average of 35 to 40 days in the detention center and attend classes on the same days as the rest of the school system.
Michael Smith, principal of Hope Academy, said the school celebrated its fifth anniversary on Feb. 8.
“Since they can’t come to us, we bring t he school to t hem,” Smith said. “We want to make sure they continue with their education.”