PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The new head of a Portsmouth commission hopes to take back the community from youth violent crime in 2025.
Jaylin Drewry has seen the statistics, and he doesn’t want to see them rise any further. With a background in political science and a love of Portsmouth, Drewry is taking charge to help make the city safer for youths.
“What I’ve noticed is that crime has gotten younger and younger,” Drewry said. “It’s not just 18 to 24 [year-olds]. There are statistics out there that say that, but it’s getting younger, even down to the ages of 11 and 12. [That] is what were seeing here, not just in Portsmouth, but around the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States.”
Born and raised in Portsmouth, Drewry said youth violence was common growing up.
“I got to see firsthand when I was at Chuchland High School how easy it is to get caught up in gun violence,” Drewry said, “how easy it is to get swept up into not having too many opportunities, or at least feeling like you don’t have that many opportunities and chances to get out of the city and do the things that you want to do.”