NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It’s been a deadly year already in Nashville, and 42% of all the homicides are people under 20 years old.
Just this Monday, a shooting left a 19-year-old dead and a 14-year-old in critical condition in East Nashville.
Several groups are trying to reach these kids before they fall into a world of crime. Gentlemen And Not Gangsters, also known as "G.A.N.G," is accepting applications for the new year.
The kids that are involved in Gentleman And Not Gangsters are either court-ordered to be a part of the program or their parents signed them up due to behavior that needed correction immediately. The end goal is to give them hope and let them know they don’t have to be defined by their life circumstances.
"It really just breaks my heart to see that we are still sitting in the same situation that we’ve been in for the last eight, nine, or 10 years with the youth," G.A.N.G Founder Bishop Marcus Campbell said.
Data reveals that 79 juveniles have already been arrested just three weeks into the new year. This time last year, there were 75 juveniles arrested.
"A lot of these teenagers, I know most of them — so it really be like, 'why?'" Chivas Jordan-Douglas said.
Chivas Jordan-Douglas, also known as Cj, used to be where those kids have found themselves: in handcuffs.
"Cj came through our class maybe about five or six years ago. It was one of our biggest classes from juvenile court," Bishop Campbell said.
CJ said he was a hothead and really didn’t have much to live for at that point in his life.
"When I started coming to the summer camp, I realized, 'hey, these kids bad.' I’m like, 'hold on — I’m one of these kids. I got to quit doing that,'" Cj explained.
He credits the birth of his son for changing his outlook on life, along with the influence of Bishop Marcus Campbell and graduation from the G.A.N.G program.
"When I had something else to look up to, which is him, I saw you can change. You don’t have to keep doing this the same way you’ve been doing this," Cj said.
A mentor is what Cj thinks many youths are missing.
"There are male figures out on the streets, and that’s what they have to look up to. If they don’t have nothing else to look up to, they're not going to be able to see there is different stuff out there," Cj said.
"We try to find out, 'what is it that you want? What is your 3-year plan? What is your 5-year plan?' And we want to look at that and see if we can help you meet those goals," Bishop Campbell said.
Meeting those goals isn't always easy, but it’s worth it once you graduate from the program.
"It's not just like you’re going to be sitting right here not learning nothing. You’re going to be learning stuff at the end of the day," Cj said.
Parents and guardians can sign up their children for the G.A.N.G program. The first session starts on February 8 and applications are now open for the 12-week course.
There were 79 arrests from January 1, 2023 through January 18, 2023.
These charges include:
- Handgun possession
- Simple possession
- No driver's license
- Runaway
- Aggravated Robbery with a weapon
- Failure to file an accident report
- Failure to give information and render aid
- Leaving the scene of an accident involving death
- Vandalism: $1,000 or less
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Assault — offensive/provocative
- Evading arrest misdemeanor
- Vehicle theft: $10,000 - $60,000
- Insurance evidence-compliance
- Aggravated assault-strangulation
- Especially aggravated robbery
- Curfew
- Theft of vehicle: $2,500 - $10,000
- Assault-domestic fear
- Assault of an officer-bodily injury
- Theft of property: $1,000 or less
- Resisting arrest
- Theft of merchandise under $1,000
- Joyriding
- Evading arrest-motor vehicle
- Vandalism: $1,000 - $2,500
- Theft of property: $10,000 - $60,000
- Leaving the scene of the accident — damage over $1,500
- Disorderly Conduct
- Assault-bodily injury
- Violation of probation
- Assault of an officer — offensive contact
- Burglary
- Vandalism: $2,500 - $10,000
- Theft of property: $2,500 -$10,000
- Theft of merchandise: $2,500 - $10,000
- Assault fear
- Criminal impersonation
- Criminal trespass
- Burglary of a motor vehicle
- Assault domestic — offensive/provocative
- Vandalism of gov’t property under $2,000
- Aggravated burglary
There were 75 arrests from January 1, 2022 through January 18, 2022.
These charges include:
- Vandalism: $1,000 or less
- Curfew
- Handgun possession
- Simple possession
- No driver's license
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Runaway
- Assault domestic offensive provocative
- Assault domestic fear
- Evading arrest misdemeanor
- Theft of vehicle: $60,000 - $250,000
- Theft of property under $1,000
- Vehicle theft $10,000 - $60,000
- Theft of firearm less than $2,500
- Assault — offensive/provocative
- Violation of probation felony
- Aggravated Robbery weapon
- Robbery — carjacking
- Joyriding
- Juvenile tobacco product — purchase or possession
- Drug paraphernalia
- Resisting
- Reckless endangerment with a weapon
- Vandalism: $2,500 - $10,000
- Disorderly Conduct
- Theft of vehicle $1,000 - $2,500
- Assault of an officer — fear
- Loitering during school hours
- Theft of vehicle: $2,500 - $10,000
- Escape — penal institution
- Assault domestic — bodily injury
- Theft of property: $2,500 - $10,000
