Plan Aims to Help Stem Juvenile Crime in Fulton

ATLANTA, GA -- In a new plan passed by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, $1 million would be allocated to set up crime prevention programs aimed at young people and a multi-jurisdictional “slider” task force made up of metro area police officers would be formed.

The county board recently voted 6-1 to approve the measure in the wake of several high-profile incidents involving juveniles committing crimes, the panel said Monday.

“Let’s move full court press to tackle the problem of juvenile crime,” Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves, one of the proposal’s co-sponsors, said in a news release. “The money will be used to enhance law enforcement, the juvenile justice system and workforce programs. I expect to see some real results by the end of this year.”

The board has made addressing crime a top priority for 2017. Earlier this month, the Fulton board acted to improve safety for gas station by mandating that convenience stores in high-crime areas implement measures to address criminal activity.

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The board believes that the Juvenile Crime Prevention Comprehensive Plan will work, but it needs partnerships with public schools in Atlanta and greater Fulton County to implement prevention programs aimed at creating jobs for the youth.

“I believe this is a piece of the puzzle as we work toward a comprehensive plan that targets how the county will deal with at-risk youth and adjudicated youth,” District 5 Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington Jr., one of the measure’s co-sponsors, was quoted as saying.

The plan's overall funding will cost the county $2.5 million for various programs and initiatives, the board said.

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