Jax Youth Justice Fair brings groups together to “save kids from the system”

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With crime, punishment and juvenile justice very much on the minds of local and regional policymakers, an upcoming resource fair aimed at coordinating ways to keep youngsters out of trouble is an idea that’s being embraced in Jacksonville.

The Juvenile Justice and Youth Services Fair will take place Wednesday  in the second-floor jury assembly room of the Duval County Courthouse. It’s the brainchild of Circuit Judge Suzanne Bass, who sits on the juvenile bench. (Bass defeated John Merrett in 2012 in a rare judicial election that both unseated a sitting judge, and drew a fair amount of attention.)

Dozens of organizations are expected to be on hand, ranging from the 100 Black Men of Jacksonville to Communities in Schools, the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, Teen Court, ICARE and the Youth Crisis Center, among others.

Crime rates are down nationally, but Jacksonville has long been known as (off and on) the state’s murder capital, and juvenile justice procedure in the 904 is a topic of increasing scrutiny.

Melissa Ross

In addition to her work writing for Florida Politics, Melissa Ross also hosts and produces WJCT’s First Coast Connect, the Jacksonville NPR/PBS station’s flagship local call-in public affairs radio program. The show has won four national awards from Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI). First Coast Connect was also recognized in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 as Best Local Radio Show by Folio Weekly’s “Best Of Jax” Readers Poll and Melissa has also been recognized as Folio Weekly’s Best Local Radio Personality. As executive producer of The 904: Shadow on the Sunshine State, Melissa and WJCT received an Emmy in the “Documentary” category at the 2011 Suncoast Emmy Awards. The 904 examined Jacksonville’s status as Florida’s murder capital. During her years in broadcast television, Melissa picked up three additional Emmys for news and feature reporting. Melissa came to WJCT in 2009 with 20 years of experience in broadcasting, including stints in Cincinnati, Chicago, Orlando and Jacksonville. Married with two children, Melissa is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism/Communications. She can be reached at [email protected].



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