MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On a day where two teenagers appeared in Shelby County Juvenile Court on carjacking related charges, those with Memphis' youth intervention group '901 Bloc Squad' conceded the challenges but welcomed the opportunities in a year where charges involving guns and violence with Memphis teenagers are at levels never seen before.
Their mission is prevention and guiding vulnerable teenagers on a different path, far away from the juvenile justice system.
"It's sickening but it gives me a sense of urgency that our team has to really get out there," Delvin Lane with '901 Bloc Squad' said.
Lane leads that team, being challenged with teenagers charged in violent crimes like no other time before.
"I think the red light is flashing, I think kids are trying to live out what they see on video games," Lane added.
'901 Bloc Squad' members focus on 10 hotspot areas. Memphis police say those neighborhoods are playing a major role in an 85% surge of juveniles arrested for gun charges from last June to this June.
"We are kicking it up a notch, we are in the communities, we are knocking on doors, we are hanging out, we are going to events with them, just to spend time with them because the more time we spend with them, the less likely they are to catch a case trying to do something crazy in the streets," Lane said.
Those with '901 Bloc Squad' said their efforts especially ramp up during the summer months, when teenagers are out of school.
"We know that idle time is a devil's workshop and so we try to fill that idle time with productive things like work, education, football, baseball, whatever it is, track," Lane said.
He added youth violence prevention also starts at home with parents.
RELATED: 'Be on Alert' | Police & family call on community to be vigilant in wake of faith leader's death
"Build a relationship with your child, talk to them, get to know them, know who they are hanging with, know what they are thinking, check their stuff, be nosy," Lane said.
Thanks to more money from the city of Memphis, the '901 Bloc Squad' quadrupled its mentors since last summer. Lane said the next goal is moving more of those mentors from part time to full time.