James: Youth need jobs, alternatives to violence
Rick Christie
Keith James had seen, and heard enough.
A rash of weekend gun violence in Palm Beach County, especially in West Palm Beach, had a dangerous sameness about it. By the weekend of Aug. 8, it was the ninth straight weekend of fatal shootings — most involving young people.
Days later, the threeterm West Palm Beach city commissioner teamed up with first-term commissioner Cory Neering to shine a spotlight on youth violence in the central city. At their one-day “summit,” they got an earful from dozens of youth. And much of what they heard had to do with jobs.
That’s where both Neering and James, a big proponent of urbanization, look to focus their time and energy.
As they get started, the Post Editorial Board had questions for James:
Post: Youth violence is not exactly a new issue, so why the extra attention now?
James: The urgency of the issue is heightened by the recent increase in shootings and deaths. Since June 1, there’ve been 16 shootings, including six deaths. Another disconcerting factor is the fact that many of the victims have been so young, and some of the perpetrators are 10 to 12 years old. We are seeing an increase of youth-on-youth violence. ... As a father, I find this particularly unsettling. I strongly believe that we need additional resources to proactively address this issue.
Post: Shouldn’t the various community efforts, diversion programs, etc., that are out there already be enough to address the issue?
James: The fact that we have had so much youth violence this summer is evidence alone that more action is required. We should continue these programs but also explore other possible solutions. We need to proactively get in front of our youth at an early age to help quell the rise in gang violence, make sure our residents feel safe and encourage people to not be afraid to speak out.
Post: There’s an apparent rift between communities of color and law enforcement here ... How do we negate that?
James: That requires efforts from both sides of the issue. Law enforcement must continue to employ community policing strategies, particularly in those neighborhoods where most of this senseless violence is occurring (primarily a two-square mile area in West Palm Beach). Law enforcement should work to be a part of the communities which they serve, and avoid the appearance of being an occupying force. We have to avoid the “us-vs-them” trap.
Just as important, leaders from those communities of color must demonstrate that it is okay to cooperate with law enforcement. Most citizens in the neighborhoods of color also desire a peaceful, violence-free environment.
Post: How much does a lack of available jobs play into this?
James: One of the themes repeated at the youth forum hosted by (West Palm Beach) Commissioner (Cory) Neering and I was the lack of employment opportunities, particularly summer jobs for students. Also, there were some young men just out of prison who expressed frustration at their inability to find employment.
I was appalled by the sense of hopelessness expressed by most of the youth speaking. Without jobs, there is no hope. The residents of these communities need hope; not a “hand-out” but a “handup.”
I plan to meet with representatives of the business community to see if I can get them to commit to providing 100 jobs for youth from these communities, as well as job-training programs.
Post: With kids 10- to 12 years old committing some of these crimes, does the Palm Beach County School District have a role here?
James: Yes, the school district has a role. But so does the private sector, government, nonprofits, churches, synagogues … All of us must get involved with finding solutions to this crisis. To be effective, we need kids in school learning, safe after-school programs provided and positive role models they can look to for guidance. We all have a role.
Post: You’ve said that ultimately there is a cost to the entire community for not doing more. What did you mean?
James: We are right at the point where the private sector is returning to West Palm Beach for investment.
West Palm Beach is on the cusp of greatness. So much of our economic development efforts are devoted to attracting new companies to our city. If we don’t get a handle on this, all of the glossy magazine ads, all of the TV commercials showing sunsplashed beaches and the nightlife on Clematis won’t be enough to overcome the stigma of West Palm Beach being a violence-ridden town.
A community is judged by the way we take care of our kids, and invest in their future.