Panelists, including doctors, lawyers, clergymen and more, discussed the recent spike in teen violence, its causes and possible solutions. Most impressive were the teens who attended the town hall, offering their unique, firsthand perspectives on teen violence and providing insight into the problem. Among suggestions for keeping teens out of trouble and in school were establishing mentoring and after school programs,; simply listening to teens; and more town halls where teens could meet and interact in a peaceful setting.

“Violence is a problem for everyone,” noted Dr. Wayne Watson, president of CSU. “It’s not an ‘us or them’ issue. If your child is not safe, neither is mine.”

Next steps for the Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice include future town hall meetings in Detroit and San Francisco. For more details, visit the council’s Web site.

A “Kids Off the Block” sign stands as a dramatic call to action in Chicago’s Roseland community where 16 year-old Derrion Albert was beaten to death earlier this year. KOB’s Diane Latiker, founder and president, will participate in the ABA’s town hall on teen violence on Friday, November 20.

Teen violence is a growing problem, and the recent beating death of high school student Derrion Albert in Chicago has caused many to sound the alarm. The American Bar Association, in conjunction with Chicago State University, is hosting the first of several town hall meetings to discuss the problem and explore solutions. Stop the Violence—Time to Deliver, will kick-off on Friday, Nov. 20.

Diane Latiker, founding president of Kids Off the Block and a guest panelist of the town hall meeting, has been active in Chicago’s Roseland community, helping at-risk low-income youth find alternatives to gangs, drugs and violence. Although she’s been advocate on the local level for nearly 10 years, she says she is excited about the ABA’s role as a national organization in curbing teen violence.

When asked what everyday citizens can do to help keep teens out of trouble, Latiker suggests talking with teens “on their level,” mentoring and initiating other actions to encourage them to take the right path. She hopes that organizations other than her own, not only in Chicago, but throughout the nation, will take notice of the solutions and resources that will come from the ABA Town Hall on Teen Violence.

For more information on Stop the Violence—Time to Deliver, please click here.

For more information on Kids Off the Block, please click here.