MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Shelby County Crime Commission announced Monday the opening of the Youth and Family Resource Center in Raleigh.
The Commission and county officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new center Thursday, June 16.
Commission officials said the new center will serve as a youth assessment center to provide needs assessments and appropriate interventions for juveniles who have come in contact with law enforcement but before they become involved in the juvenile justice system.
It will receive referrals from other sources as well.
The Crime Commission said such a center was a major objective under the previous Safe Community Action Plan as well as the current one which took effect this year.
Dorcas Young-Griffin, director of the County Division of Community Services and a member of the Crime Commission board of directors, took the lead in bringing the center to fruition.
The City of Memphis provided the building, which is the old Raleigh branch library, and Shelby County renovated the space.
Planned assessments will include identifying any behavioral health issues, the possible need for trauma counseling, and services to help alleviate other underlying issues that might result in delinquent behavior.
The Crime Commission said approximately 50% of all juveniles coming through Juvenile Court on delinquent charges are repeat offenders, and add an effective assessment center can serve as a tool to reduce that percentage, with benefits to individual youth and to the community by reducing crime.
The University of Memphis has been tasked with conducting an evaluation of the center as it moves forward.
