Melissa Ross
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.
