NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Thursday, 100 Families hosted a panel discussion that included community members, the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office and the Prosecuting Attorney's Office to voice their concerns about youth violence and child welfare.
For 100 Families, it's a subject that hits close to home.
"This past Sunday, two boys lost their lives," 100 Families North Pulaski County Coordinator Deanna Walderns said. "They've been part of this place since they were young children."
Walderns said something needs to change and that it will take the whole community.
"Statistics are just statistics until you actually know the family," Walderns said. "And would do whatever it takes to have prevented, or to have interjected in that child's life, and those families lives to prevent the violence that occurred."
Regarding juvenile crime, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Casey Beard said they get the most calls from southwest Little Rock and Jacksonville. However, no matter the location, she said more needs to be done to improve child welfare before kids end up in the court system.
"As far as tangible goals, we do have a goal of trying to come up with some good prosecutorial diversion methods," Beard said. "We might start linking families and their children primarily to services before filing it in court."
Beard said another goal is implementing a group violence intervention program with some surrounding counties.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Willie Davis with the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office continues to make a change through the O.K. Program, a law enforcement-based mentoring program for African American men and boys.
"Graduation rates are increasing with our boys," Davis said. "[We're] making sure that we follow up with those young men after they graduate and go on to college or whatever they want to do. That's important."
And to Walderns, it's a team effort.
"You can't just help a child or help a parent," Walderns said. "You have to help the whole family, build them up together so they can be strong and move from crisis to thriving."
Making kids more well-rounded is something the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District is working to do by implementing new programs to help students grow academically and socially.
100 Families is also launching an action committee next month to unite every resource and person working to fight this issue and develop a prevention approach.
If you want to get involved, you can email deanna@everyarkansan.org.