MURFREESBORO — MTSU
will provide a forum for an in-depth discussion of one of the most pervasive
social issues of our time.
MT Engage, a program focused on enhancing student
engagement, will sponsor a symposium on gang violence reduction hosted by the
departments of criminal justice and social work from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday,
Sept. 21, in the Student Union’s Parliamentary Room. A printable campus map is
available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.
“Making serious inroads to reduce gang violence requires
multi-systemic problem-solving and action,” said Michael Sherr, professor and
chair of the Department of Social Work. “The symposium brings students and
community members together to raise awareness and discuss options for
addressing such a devastating social problem.”
Carter F. Smith, a lecturer in the Department of Criminal
Justice, will moderate the panel discussion. Smith is a three-time winner of
the Frederick Milton Thrasher Award from the “Journal of Gang Research” for
excellence in scholarship and service in public safety issues posed by gangs.
“Both our areas are putting Band-Aids on a problem,” said
Smith. “Nobody’s doing radical surgery. If you would have criminal justice
professionals talking to social work professionals on an ongoing basis, both of
their jobs would be easier.”
The panel will include:
- Neal Pinkston, district
attorney general for Hamilton County, Tennessee, and MTSU alumnus;
- Barbara Turnage, social
work professor, MTSU;
- Cornelius Carroll, former
gang member, gang expert, author of “Black Gangs in America”;
- Det. Sgt. Chris Haney,
Murfreesboro Police Department Gang Unit.
“Looking at gang membership through a variety of lenses — sense
of belonging, support system, identity, etc. — I will be focusing on what gang
membership gives to the youth, not just the harms of gang membership,” said
Turnage.
Street gang membership increased in about 49 percent of law
enforcement jurisdictions between 2012 and 2014, according to the 2015 National
Gang Report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The same report states that 50 percent of jurisdictions had
increased gang-related crime during that period. Approximately one-third of
jurisdictions report an increase in gang threats to law enforcement.
The symposium is free and open to the public. Refreshments
will be provided. For more information, contact Sherr at 615-898-5673 or michael.sherr@mtsu.edu or Smith at
615-656-3505 or carter.smith@mtsu.edu.
No comments:
Post a Comment