ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) – An ongoing question many community leaders and community members are wondering is "What can be done to stop juvenile crime?" A pastor of Freedom World Ministries, local activist and native of Abbeville Lawrence Levy offers some solutions. 

“I think that when it comes down to crime in our community we all play a part. People probably disagree, but I have my own thoughts. I believe that it is the community's fault as well, because if we don't provide what's needed when crimes and when murder and things like this happen with our kids, we have to all take some accountability, especially if it's a kid that we've been seeing going down the wrong path for a while,” said Levy. “If you've been seeing this kid drift away from what a normal kid should be doing and we're not saying anything. It's all our fault, and we have to stop caring simply about our kids and start caring about kids in general.” 

In the wake of a recent shooting where authorities said a 16-year-old boy was arrested and charged with first-degree murder of Dylan M. Walker, 19 of New Iberia. 

Levy was asked about his thoughts when he heard about the incident and a 16-year-old boy with a criminal history of pleading guilty to six charges about numerous burglaries, felony thefts and others well presently wearing an ankle monitor instead of detention. “If there is no reprimanding being done in terms of the first offense it depends on what they are. Just creates an avenue for continued violence. If there is no juvenile detention, if there is no, home monitoring, if there is no penalty for even some of the smaller ones, then it only leads up to such as murder, and some of the more weightier violent activities,” says Levy. He continues, “If somebody is already dealing with criminal activity, then that is something that the community, as well as law enforcement, should be monitoring and even seeking to get these kids some help, in terms of what is causing them to lash out like this. I do feel also that incarceration is not always the answer or the antidote to violence in our community.” 

Levy suggested ways to reduce juvenile crime by creating things that interest the youth and young adults inside of the community. “If we have a community that is plagued with violence, yet there is no outlet or nothing else for these kids to put their minds to and set their attention on, then we’re just talking and we just going around the mountain,” He said. “We have to begin implementing programs within the communities. We have to start spending our dollars on the next generation. We have to start utilizing some of these abandoned buildings and creating things that will draw the attention of our young kids.” 

He continued, “We have to start taking them by the hand and teaching them job programs and teaching them the awareness of crime activities and what can happen. We literally have to be boots on the ground because at the end of the day, talking about it and locking them up and throwing away the key is still not the answer. That doesn't change the mentality of a person because you lock them up. In many instances, it creates more of a beast.” 

In addition, he said to provide change within our government and state laws he believes governing officials and those that are in legislation can change some laws to create more opportunities for the youth.

“We spend money in areas such as fixing roads, and we spend money even from the church standpoint, we spend money on new buildings for churches. What about our youth? We are constantly building things that have nothing to do with implementing the youth. I think that when the tax dollars are being spent, we need to also be a voice for speaking up for why aren't our kids getting anything?” said the activist. 

“We can't just keep fixing up a park here or there or taking away a park here or there. No, we need something that will include programs such as buildings that have possibly entertainment for kids that will be something that could be very respectful and respected, as well as after-school programs where they can still be kids and enjoy not being in the streets. There's nothing for children to do on the weekend besides the same old, same old: the movie skating rink, things of that nature and don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that, but during the week when parents are trying to work, when parents may get off late, where is there for their kids to go? It's the streets because we have nothing that interests them and if we don't interest them, if we don't get on their level to create things that will attract them, then we are simply spinning our wheels at everything that we try to do and the constant talking about it is not bringing anything, and no type of change to the communities.” 

In regards to concerns and discussion where solutions to reduce juvenile delinquency is to have parents held accountable and possibility charged for their kids’ crimes, Levy responded, “To a mother doing all she can. I do not believe that she should be punished for her child's crime. However, I do believe that if she's not reaching out to some of the men in the community, some of the churches, some of the local men who can possibly be a father figure, a big brother or something, I do believe at some point she has to not say I tried because trying is letting other people know I need help.” 

Levy continues, “On the other hand, those who see what their children are doing and are not trying to get some type of help to decrease the crime or prevent their child from either killing somebody or somebody killing them. I do believe there should be consequences and repercussions to those parents because a child that's underage, you should know what your child is,” he said. “Yes, we cannot control, everything that our kids do, but we should be able to have some type of grip on what's going on and reach out to the communities, reach out to the locals that could possibly give some aid in these areas.” 

Lastly, he said the best way to get teenagers and minors to understand their actions have real consequences is through the schools. 

“Schools have to partake and partner with some of us local individuals who are doing things to impact our youth and young generation on the effects of their actions concerning crime activity,” He tells News 10. “They have to begin letting people in who may not necessarily be employed by the school board system, because when you think about the mass majority of kids and catching them all at one time, where would that be? School! You won't catch a group of kids going to a positive event to hear about what they're doing wrong. You just won’t. You can have all of the events we want. You could have them at church. You can do all of that. It does not work. Why? They're not attracted to it? Not at that point, because they don't see anything wrong with what they're doing and it's what everybody else is doing.” 

A suggestion Levy made with his event ‘The Funeral Is Canceled’ was that if it would be allowed within schools along with other resources there would be a major impact. “I can almost give an 85 to 90% guarantee that there would be lower crime rates because it is something that they can see visually versus hear verbally,” he said. 

If you need help with a troubled child Levy mentioned he does home visits but it is up to the parents to reach out.

“I have a desire to travel to places where people may need help in this area but at the end of the day, if they're not reaching out, then there's nothing that can be done. So when people get arrested or when their children get arrested, it's not the police's fault. It’s not the community's fault that your child is only on their way to prison for the rest of their life or you're having to plan a funeral,” he concluded. 

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