Violence Among Youth is Spreading in Nashville

From Tennessean.com:Nashville police chief Ronal Serpas recently called violence among area youth a disease that needs immediate treatment.

"The facts have to be known so we can identify the symptoms and deal with the disease," Chief Ronal Serpas said Saturday. "Violence is a disease — insidious, malignant disease. We've got to find a way to have adults take the stand and say: 'I'm not going to let my kid go to the mall with a gun in their pocket.'

According to Serpas' Speech:

• This year, 77 Nashville teens, ages 14-17, have been arrested 93 times for robbery.
• Ninety percent of them had been in police custody before.
• Nine of the juveniles already had been arrested for murder.
• 22 had prior criminal records for carrying weapons illegally.
• Fifty-four had been arrested previously for assault.

Rest of Article. . . [Mark Godsey]