MEMPHIS, TN – Memphis Mayor A C Wharton and Shelby County Mayor Mark H. Luttrell, along with the Memphis Youth Violence Prevention Policy Council, need input from the public to develop a plan to combat youth violence.

The city of Memphis is one of six cities selected by the United States Department of Justice to participate in a National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. The Department of Justice has charged each city to form a comprehensive community-based plan to prevent youth and gang violence in their communities.

Led by both mayors, the Memphis Youth Violence Prevention Policy Council has been created to develop the plan. The Council consists of representatives from more than 20 public and private agencies. Four community workgroups have been tasked with assessing youth-related prevention, intervention, re-entry, and enforcement efforts as part of the plan.

The plan cannot be completed, however, without input from citizens. Mayor Wharton and Mayor Luttrell invite the public to a candid discussion on issues affecting the safety of children. Real Talk: Youth Violence, a community forum, is scheduled for 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 20, at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue. The event is free and open to the public.

During the forum, citizens will be briefed on the state of juvenile violence in our community. The participants will then break out into work groups to brainstorm ideas and solutions to youth violence. All of the ideas will be taken back to the Policy Council who will
create the plan. In April, the Council will present the plan to the Department of Justice in April at the Youth Violence Summit in Washington, D.C.

This initiative is being spearheaded by the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission, at the request of Mayor Wharton and Mayor Luttrell, and will ultimately become part of the continuing Operation: Safe Community action plan.

Citizens who want to participate in Real Talk: Juvenile Violence are asked to RSVP by calling 901-507-4198 or by sending an email to reception@memphiscrime.org by January 19.