NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Juvenile crime remains a troubling trend, with more than 500 young people being detained according to data from the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
Additionally, the MNPD noted an increase in homicide deaths among teens and children compared to this time last year — 16 young people died this year compared to just 14 in 2023.
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“We’ve got to make sure that we’re not allowing any child to have any guns,” Davidson County juvenile court judge Sheila Calloway told News 2. “That’s something that we have to do as adults — to make sure that we are protecting our kids at every cost.”
The trend is one that Calloway is on a mission to improve; once in the criminal justice system, it can be hard for teens to transition back into society. Calloway called the county’s juvenile crime trend a challenge, but one she said her team is ready to face.
“It’s unfortunate that children will tell you that it’s easier for them to buy a gun off the street than it is to buy a pack of cigarettes,” Calloway said.