The Office of Community Safety sought applications from local community groups to provide program and/or employment opportunities to “opportunity youth".
From a garden trying to reduce food insecurity to a sports group working to teach kids teamwork, Knoxville organizations are aiming to counter violence with opportunities.
This summer, 13 community groups will employ young people ages 12 to 21 who have been identified as being at high risk of suffering from or perpetrating violent crime. The groups will receive money from the city to make it happen.
The city is launching the pilot program in response to a prolonged spike in fatal shootings that has claimed the lives of five Black teenagers in Knoxville this year.
Similar summer jobs programs have run for years in cities such as Chicago, New York City and Boston. Studies have found that these programs can reduce violent crime arrests and lead to benefits like increased school attendance.
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