Second Annual Youth Justice Summit to once again address youth violence
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.
Over the past three years, the Coalition has brought together community members, nonprofit organizations, educators, behavioral health providers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys, youth-serving agencies, faith leaders, policymakers, elected officials, business leaders, philanthropic partners, impacted youth and families, and individuals with lived experience to identify proactive, evidence-informed strategies that reduce youth crime, strengthen families, and create safer communities throughout Hinds County.
These collaborative efforts have led to the expansion of diversion initiatives, multidisciplinary case coordination, enhanced capacity of violence prevention partnerships, increased credible messenger programming, family engagement efforts, educational and workforce development opportunities, behavioral health collaborations, youth leadership initiatives, and the creation of the S.P.A.C.E. Youth Diversion and Enrichment Center at the Jackson Medical Mall. Together, these partnerships and initiatives reflect a shared commitment to addressing the underlying factors that contribute to youth crime while promoting accountability, opportunity, and hope.
“As a community, we cannot afford to work in silos and live within the confines of complacency,” Judge Hicks said. “The challenges facing our children are complex, and our collective response must be equally comprehensive. Sustainable change happens when government, community organizations, families, schools, healthcare providers, businesses, and young people themselves work together around a common vision.”
To continue advancing that work, Judge Hicks and the Hinds County Children’s Coalition are hosting the Second Annual Youth Justice Summit to be held August 8, 2026, Conference Center at the Jackson Medical Mall.
The summit will convene local, state, and national leaders to examine promising practices, strengthen partnerships, and develop collaborative strategies to improve public safety and create brighter futures for children and families.
Participants will engage in keynote presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and youth-led conversations focused on:
• Youth crime prevention
• Community-based diversion strategies
• Mental and behavioral health
• Family engagement
• School and community partnerships
• Public safety innovation
• Trauma-informed systems
• Workforce and educational opportunities
• Cross-sector collaboration and systems transformation
The Summit is designed to move beyond dialogue by equipping participants with practical tools, strengthening relationships across systems, and inspiring collective action that produces measurable impact in communities across Mississippi.
“The recent loss of young lives serves as a painful reminder that the work of protecting children cannot wait,” Judge Hicks said. “Every life lost is a call to action. Every family forever changed by violence reminds us that prevention is not optional – it is essential.”
“The Second Annual Youth Justice Summit is more than a convening. It is a call to action for every resident, agency, organization, policymaker, elected official, faith leader, and community partner who believes that safer communities begin with investing in our young people before crisis becomes tragedy. Together, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to create systems that not only respond to youth crime but prevent it, strengthen families, and ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.”
For more information or to register, visit https://hindscoyjs.org/.
