With data in hand, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy provided an update on juvenile crime to the Memphis City Council Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 19.
Last year, 6,178 minors faced charges in Shelby County Juvenile Court. Of those, 23% were vehicle-related.
“We did see an increase in juvenile crime in a couple of discrete categories related to vehicles - breaking into cars and stealing cars,” said Mulroy. “ ere are a higher number of charges when it comes to auto the and auto burglary,” said Mulroy.
Budding o enders can learn their cra through social media. e most targeted models are Kia, Nissan, Dodge and In niti.
Many of the teens have been in the juvenile court system since early childhood - the majority of the court’s work is child-related. In many cases, family caregiving was in short supply, along with resources.
“If you come into our system at oneyear old or 10-months old with a child welfare-related issue, if we do not get the proper interventions in place, we will likely see you at 12, or 14, or 16 in our delinquency caseload,” said Stephanie Hill, SCJC Chief Administrative O cer.
To curb recidivism - or graduating to violent crimes, like carjackings - the court created a CARS unit. ose with repeated auto-related charges are given priority, starting with a speedy disposition hearing. From there, a “whole series of rehabilitative interventions” are enforced.
ese include electronic monitoring, Youth Service Bureau supervision, status updates every 30 days for four
months, community service, mandatory school attendance and no contact with victims, for example.
“ e idea is to move and get that done quickly. at’s been up and running for a number of months now. We’re hoping that it will help prevent a lot of these under-18 defendants from gravitating towards violent crime,” said Mulroy.
“ at doesn’t mean that there are never occasions where it’s appropriate to have adult transfers…but it should be done as a last resort, not as a rst instinct,” he said.
ere were 84 transfer requests made in 2023. e threat of transfer also aids the D.A.’s o ce in settling cases.
Although rehabilitation services are available, the option lapses at age 19. If an older teen enters the system, that leaves little time. As a result, many states have adopted a “middle ground” approach, called “blended sentencing” It allows teens to remain in the juvenile system until they are 24.
A bill pending in the state legislature would allow district attorneys the discretion to le for the option. Juvenile courts would make the nal decision. In addition to bi-partisan support, it has the backing of the Shelby County Crime Commission and Mulroy’s o ce. e proposal has passed in the Senate. “Behind the budget,” it’s chances of passing this year are slim.
Almost two weeks removed from Black History Month, I found myself pondering what Black Culture is, in modern times. ere’s a running joke on X/Twitter that “w are losing recipes!” whenever young Black people (Gen Z) don’t know a Black classic, like a movie, song or “rule.”
And while we mean no harm in teasing our younger kinfolk (cause you know, we’re all cousins), it does beg the question: Why are we losing recipes? And what recipes do we even want to keep?
As with all traditions in all cultures, it is up to the elders to pass down the rituals, food, language, and customs that identify a group. So, if your auntie, uncle, mom, and so on didn’t teach you how to play Spades, well, that’s a recipe lost. But outside of Spades, Uno and Dominoes, Cookouts, Collective Dancing, and asking who made the Mac’ n’ Cheese, what is bonding us in the present?
Every time I learn something about Black American history, the lesser-told stories about pioneers of e Civil Rights Movement, I get choked up. e resilience of our people is astounding. e bravery and courage our ancestors had to muster in the face of unadulterated hatred is unmatched. But one thing about us is that we never lose our joy. As racism against African Americans soared in the 50s and 60s, alongside it, a cultural movement of pride aimed to juxtapose it.
“Black is beautiful” was a slogan, a campaign, and a mission in the 1960s and 1970s. Black people began to embrace, or rather, re-embrace their natural hair–sporting afros, braids, or other non-chemically treated styles.
Some even learned Swahili to connect to Africa. James Brown upped the ante with his iconic song, “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud.” e 70s brought us Soul Train, a cultural mosaic of music, fashion, and the hottest dance moves to TV screens across America.
e 80s launched B.E.T., the rst solo Black-centered channel of relevance today. Martin Luther King Jr. day was established as a national holiday and Michael Jackson became a solo sensation. Oprah became an overnight sensation! e 80s gave way to Black entertainers in particular, breaking color barriers and ghting to be “legitimized” by mainstream media.
When the 90s and 2000s came around, Blackness was at the height of popularity (at least on TV). e plethora of sitcoms featuring storylines of Black families and friends has never been as robust as it was during this era. From “Martin” to “ e Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Living Single.” followed “Girlfriends,” “ e Parkers” and “One on One.”
Black people got to see themselves re ected on screen in diverse ways. Air Jordans became synonymous with Black Urban culture. Terms like “Ghetto Fabulous” were coined due to the styles of Mary J. Blige and Destiny’s Child. en the cultural pendulum swung back and Black people were sorely missing from programming in the rst half of the 2010s. Even today, the height of Black television has not been reached since its demise around 2005.
In a post-pandemic world, where our communities have once again fallen victim to recessions, and larger family get togethers aren’t as frequent, I wonder where the pendulum of Black American culture will swing next.
Cord Je erson, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of 2023’s American Fic-
tion, gave rousing speeches both when he accepted his Academy Award and when he was later interviewed o -stage. He urged Hollywood to nancially back more diverse, lower-budget lms. It was a reasonable and much-needed ask. Yet, Black Twitter was divided the next day on whether Je erson was perpetuating a culture war against “Hood Blacks” and “Suburban Blacks.”
e problem with that line of thinking and false accusation is that a.) ere is a third subset of Black folk who are neither from the hood or the suburbs and b.) ere are indeed Black people from the hood that have non-stereotypical interests such as anime, a love for EDM music and a passion for nature and hiking.
I was frankly annoyed that such an unproblematic request by Je erson became obtusely misunderstood by so many people. Cast aside Cord Je erson and the Oscars, there has still been
much discourse about the normalizing of abnormal things in our community. And while we know that a racist system is to blame for a lot of the Black American plight, free will is always on the menu.
If the 60s cultural movement was about uncovering our natural beauty, the 70s and 80s were relentlessly joyful, and the 90s and 2000s were about exing our economic come up, what will the next ‘big thing’ be to signify Black people moving forward? As it becomes more normal to have Black people in power and more of us are living in and creating multicultural families, what of Black American life will prevail? What do we keep? What do we innovate next?
I hope it’s one of living well, no matter what hood you come from.
(Maya Mackey writes for Inglewood Today, an NNPA member newspaper.)
In a heartfelt display of gratitude and community spirit, Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church recently unveiled a street sign dedicated to the legacy of Rev. O.C. Collins, Jr.
Rev. O.C. Collins, Jr., hails from a venerable family long associated with spiritual guidance and community engagement in Memphis. His father, Rev. O.C. Collins, Sr., le a 47-year legacy of leadership at the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, in uencing a generation with his stewardship and commitment to outreach.
Rev. O.C. Collins, Jr.’s dedication is mirrored in his leadership, with a focus on community development initiatives that honor his father’s vision. From infrastructure improvements to support for local ministries and a long-term goal of providing a ordable housing, the Collins family continues to foster the well-being of their congregation and neighbors.
Rev. O.C. Collins Jr. was surrounded by love and well wishes for the unveiling of a street sign in his honor on March 17.
(Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/Tri-State Defender)
e ceremony, which took place on March 17, brought out family, friends and church members to celebrate the occasion. TSD Photojournalist Gary S. Whitlow was on hand with his camera to capture precious moments at the corner of Looney Ave. and Ayers St.
In a move that sharpens the national conversation on religious freedoms and educational policy, the Satanic Temple has led a lawsuit against Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS), alleging discrimination that infringes on constitutional and civil rights.
e legal action, taken on March 19, underscores the growing debate surrounding the place of religious organizations in public education.
e suit, lodged in the U.S. District Court, contends that MSCS has systematically barred the Satanic Temple from participating equally in school programs available to other religious groups. is exclusion, the Temple argues, violates their members’ First Amendment rights and highlights a broader issue of religious bias within the district’s policies.
“MSCS cannot pick and choose how much it charges an organization renting its facilities based on how much it does or does not favor the organization’s viewpoint, the content of its speech, or its religious beliefs,” the suit states. “Further, MSCS’s unconstitutional behavior has chilled the Satanic Temple’s speech and substantially burdened its ability to exercise its religiously motivated practice of o ering inclusive, welcoming religious clubs at public schools.”
Attempts by the Satanic Temple to o er educational materials and programs parallel to those provided by other religious organizations have been thwarted, according to the lawsuit.
e Temple’s legal battle seeks to challenge what it perceives as a pattern of exclusion that, they argue, erodes the pluralistic intent of public education.
rough this lawsuit, the organization aims to guarantee that its perspectives and educational o erings are accorded equal consideration and access within
“MSCS cannot pick and choose how much it charges an organization renting its facilities based on how much it does or does not favor the organization’s viewpoint, the content of its speech, or its religious beliefs,” the suit states.
MSCS’s slate of activities and programs. is litigation emerges against a backdrop of intensifying scrutiny of religious freedom and the role of religion in public schools. Legal analysts suggest that the case’s outcome may set a precedent for how religious organizations are accommodated within public institutions nationwide.
Community responses to the lawsuit have varied, with some endorsing the Satanic Temple’s pursuit of equality and others voicing apprehensions about their inclusion in school programs. TSD Education Columnist Curtis Weathers weighed in on the issue in January.
But the suit argues that all of that doesn’t matter when it comes to First Amendment rights.
“Under the First Amendment, MSCS cannot deny the ASSC equal access to its facilities,” the suit says. “Whether school board members, administrators, sta ; clergy, or other community members like or dislike the Satanic Temple is simply not relevant.”
e TSD has not yet been able to reach MSCS for comment, but will continue e orts. WREG reports that MSCS does not comment on pending legislation, adding that the newsroom later received a statement from MSCS:
“Memphis-Shelby County Schools has an established policy for facility rentals that applies to various groups, regardless of a liation. e facility rentals policy can be found on our website: https://www.facilitron.com/ scs38112.
“We want to assure everyone that there have been no disruptions to the daily operations of our school or education at Chimneyrock Elementary. Our legal team is actively working on the lawsuit, and as a school board, we are committed to ensuring that students, sta , and families are supported as we nish the school year successfully.”
It took a couple of bites at the apple, but Shelby County Commissioners approved a state-required report on a set of bail reforms 8-3-1 during the March 18 meeting.
e report will be sent to state ocials. It is required to hit their desks on April 1.
It was preceded by a failed 5-4-1 vote, as commissioners continue to question the e cacy of the reforms.
“I think a lot of my constituents have a lot of unanswered questions about how this program is working and frustration with particular incidents they’ve seen over the past several weeks,” said Commissioner Mick Wright.
Commissioner Shante Avant request-
ed reconsideration a er members were informed of the state mandate by a county attorney.
“You are required to send the evaluation to the state…,” reminded Commission Attorney Marcy Ingram. “So, if the item fails and you don’t have a special called committee meeting, or something of that nature to get this report to the state by April 1, you will be in violation of the state law.”
Beginning in March 2023, the data runs through the remainder of the calendar year. The 10-month statistical trail revealed that 66.1% of defendants held at the Shelby County lockup were given out-of-reach bail costs.
Nearly half — 32 percent — posted bail within 72 hours.
In contrast, 7 percent of defendants
NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY
BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENTNotice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §675-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:
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were given a ordable bail.
e amounts are set by judges and judicial commissioners. District attorneys can make recommendations during the hearing.
Meanwhile, a smaller slice of data from July through December 2023 focused on recidivism rates. Over seven months, 26 percent arrested were already bonded out for a previous crime. Of these, 17 percent were for violent o enses. Another 4 percent were re-arrested for violent crimes.
Commissioners scrutinized the report during a March 6 Law Enforcement, Corrections and Courts Committee meeting.
Voting in favor of the resolution were Charlie Caswell, chairwoman Miska Clay-Bibbs, Edmund Ford, Jr., sponsor Erika Sugarmon, Britney ornton,
Michael Whaley, Wright and Avant. David Bradford, Amber Mills and Brandon Morrison voted no. Henri Brooks abstained, while Mickell Lowery did not vote.
Both Avant and Sugarmon also did not vote on the rst attempt. ey were joined by Wright, who switched his vote to yield the majority.
Earlier, the resolution was pulled from the consent agenda at the request of Wright.
Along with a new bail hearing room, the reforms passed in August 2022 include individualized hearings with representation no later than three days a er arrest. A suspect’s nancial circumstances are examined using the Vera Institute’s “Ability to Pay” calculator.
A er winning a thrilling season opener last week, Memphis 901 FC su ered a bitter 2-1 defeat against Indy Eleven in a thrilling interconference clash at AutoZone Park on Saturday a ernoon. e Beale Street Boys fought valiantly but couldn’t overcome an early de cit and a second-half red card.
e rst half belonged to the visitors, who struck twice before the break. Indy Eleven capitalized on Memphis’ sluggish start and punished the home side’s defensive lapses.
However, the tide dramatically turned in thesecond half when Memphis defender Oscar Jiménez received a second yellow card, leaving his team a man down.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Memphis 901 FC roared back to life. ey pressed relentlessly, outshooting Indy 17-11 for the match.
“I think if a team was going to score a goal in the second half it was going to be us,” said Memphis Coach Stephen Glass. “Everything we didn’t do in the rst half, we did in terms of pure endeavor and desire to go forward and be dangerous and we almost got the reward.”
Photos by William Weeks/Tri-State Defender
