Carl Leads Faith-Based Action Plan for Juvenile Offenders

Posted on: Feb 18th, 2014 | News and Announcements

About 90 people from the faith community met Saturday morning with local elected officials at a breakfast convened by Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl to address the needs of juvenile offenders and their families. ?We hope to put an army of people together through the faith based community to assist Juvenile Court Judge Edmond Naman in providing resources to these children and their families,? Carl said. ?We?re getting a community working for itself.? The 90 attendees represented almost all the faith groups, including Christian, Muslim, Unitarian and Buddhist religious leaders. All faiths were invited to participate. Local elected and civic leaders included Juvenile Judge Edmond Naman, U.S. House Rep. Bradley Byrne, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Mobile Police Chief Jim Barber, State Sen. Bill Hightower, state Rep. David Sessions, Mobile Councilman John Williams, Gen. Gary Cooper, former Prichard Police Chiefs Jimmy Gardner and Lawrence Battiste, and Bishop Floyd Nelson. Carl said an advisory committee will move forward to organize resources, training and delivery of these services to the Juvenile Court system under the guidance of Judge Naman. ?It?s a community coming together and making a plan to mentor our youth,? Carl said. Naman urged attendees Saturday to make a commitment, noting that juvenile offenders can be turned around by interested adults who provide them direction and hope for their future.