MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton is taking on another endeavor to reach youth.
The idea came as he was mentoring incarcerated juveniles and visited one in his cell.
“I went in the cell and I talked to this little boy. I looked at that little small cell and I said ‘son, this is no way to live your life,'” recalled Herenton.
He said once kids are moved out of Juvenile Court, they are shipped to other facilities across the state.
“Evidence is clear when you have family engagement and these offenders are closer to home, you can reduce the recidivism,” he said.
That’s why Herenton wants to build facilities in Millington and Frayser, offering education, vocational training and even therapy and medical treatment.
He said it will cost at least $50 million, but not to the county.
National partners, who he is not identifying right now, are on board for financing, he told WREG.
He wants the state of Tennessee to shift money it now sends to other areas for juvenile treatment back to Shelby County.
“About 17 million dollars out of our community is going to those facilities not in Memphis,” said Herenton.
Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael said the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services decides where children are placed, but he did say it’s best to have juveniles here in Shelby County treated near their families, especially considering most of the kids are from this area.
“Seventy-to-80 percent of the kids at Wilder come from Shelby County. About 50 percent of kids statewide come from Shelby County. If we take up the majority of the beds across Tennessee, why are we not treating them here? ” asked Judge Micheal.
“From juvenile offender to adult offender, I’d like to break those pipelines,” added Herenton.
Over the next several weeks, Herenton said he will hold meetings with local leaders to get support for the ‘Next Step’ project.
DCS said he will also have to apply to be a provider of services.
