MEMPHIS, Tennessee — In January of 2023, Memphis Police Department arrested 68 juveniles for auto thefts according to a date report from MPD. Of those 68, the largest group of juveniles was 15-year-olds, but MPD arrested at least three kids as young as 12 years old.
Delvin Lane, executive director of 901 Bloc Squad, is leading the efforts to intervene in young people’s lives to prevent them from getting involved in violence in the first place.
“Most of the times our kids act off feelings and emotions, and that can be deadly," Lane said. "So when we talk to our young people about what they’re feeling, and talk them through the situation, then less likely will they commit a violent crime."
One of the methods 901 Bloc Squad has shifted to in order to help younger crowds, is older adults as mentors in the program. Lane said alongside having parental figures for the kids who need them, they’re also working on getting more resources for the program as a whole.
“We’re not therapists, and they tend to be looked upon negatively in the Black community, but we’re trying to promote that because we know it works,” Lane said. “Right now, we’re in a negotiation to hire an actual therapist on our team.”
They’re hopeful at least one therapist will join the team in the coming months. In the meantime, they’re planning to take a step into students’ lives through local schools.
“If we can get in the school system, build those relationships out we can help with truancy get kids involved in more youth programs because we have a lot of youth programs around the city, but a lot of our kids struggle with participating,” Lane said.
For now, their hopes are to get more people to be a part of their program as early as eight years old, but also accepting people through the age of 35 so they aren’t leaving young people without guidance.
“Some of the older people that start with us can be successful, but they won’t have as much success as a younger person would because now, we can walk them through adolescence, preteen teenage and adult years,” Lane said.
If you’re interested in becoming a mentor or in signing your kid up to be a mentee, 901 Bloc Squad is open to new participants.