MACON, Ga. — Macon District Attorney Anita Howard unveiled a new program to help stop the violence in the city.
The Restoring Inspiration by Success in Education, or RISE Program, focuses on moving kids 17 and under away from the criminal justice system.
"We have youth in our community who are dealing with adverse experiences, so we need to identify those experiences in our youth and we need to give them services that will mitigate the detrimental effects of those adverse childhood experiences on their lives," said Howard.
The program kicks off next month and is paid for in part by a $750,000 grant from the federal government.
Community leaders, alongside mental health professionals, will work with kids in the program to set a course of action for each student.
RISE plans to use trauma, criminogenic, and clinical screening and assessment tools to provides services to youth and their families.
"Because all of the adverse childhood experiences have been shown that if they do go untreated, if the children don't get the service, then the risk for criminality for those children is higher for children and as adults," Howard said.
She also says her office is revamping grand jury procedures to save time and money.
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