JANS – In the wake of an alarming recurrence in violent crime throughout the City of Jackson, including recent homicides involving youth and child victims, Hinds County Youth Court Judge Carlyn M. Hicks is calling upon the community to move through grief and toward collective action.
“Every child lost to violence represents not only a tragedy for a family, but a profound loss for our entire community,” said Judge Hicks. “While accountability remains an essential function of our justice system, we must also confront the conditions that place our young people on pathways toward violence. Prevention cannot be the responsibility of any one agency. It requires all of us.”
Since assuming the bench in 2020, Judge Hicks has made collaboration a cornerstone of the Court’s approach to improving outcomes for children and families. Recognizing that no single system can address youth violence alone, she helped establish and advance the Hinds County Children’s Coalition (HC3), a cross-sector collaborative committed to breaking down systemic silos and fostering collective solutions to issues highlighted by the community…