JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Eight pastors are teaming up with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in an attempt to change the paths of some 10 to 15-year-old juveniles who are considered at-risk of getting into trouble.
Sheriff John Rutherford announced the new program on Tuesday. He told the Florida Times-Union (http://bit.ly/1EWWiwD ) the program is designed to change the hearts of youth because "we cannot arrest our way out of a murder problem."
Through Operation Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement, pastors will help the sheriff's office identify about 50 at-risk youth and 50 who are already considered prolific offenders. Rutherford says the prolific offenders are already involved in gangs and the at-risk youth are not.
The pastors will be accompanied by patrol officers when they go to homes to talk to families about violence in the community.
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Information from: The (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com
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