One Lexington updates Racial Justice and Equity panel on youth violence reduction efforts

Members of a Lexington Racial Justice and Equity Commission subcommittee got an update on the City’s efforts to reduce youth gun violence.

One Lexington Director Devine Carama described facets of the PIER model; prevention, intervention, enforcement, and re-entry. During the hour-long meeting, Carama was asked why a Lexington-specific approach has been taken, instead of all-out use of a violence intervention program showing success in other towns.

“Our housing projects were tore down. In a lot of cities, some of your most underserved vulnerable populations are kind of centered in one or two places. And a place like Lexington is all over the place,” said Carama.

Carama added it doesn’t work in Lexington to go to one specific area and concentrate services and outreach there. The One Lexington director said collaboration with various groups is key to the effort.

Heading up intervention from One Lexington is Kenneth Payne. He said County and City law enforcement, schools, UK Trauma Center, judges, Project Peace, and other community partners are all involved.

“The purpose for having all these sectors involved is so that we can in real-time be more efficient in how we respond,” said Payne.

Payne said representatives gather for an intervention team meeting when a gun-related incident occurs involving young people from ages ten to 29. In discussing prevention, Devine Carama told members there are 21 different in-school mentoring programs at 16 schools.

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