Juvenile Justice

Disruptions and damage caused by hurricanes Milton and Helene exacerbated challenges teens in the program already faced. Safe and Sound Hillsborough is working with community partners to support them.

The $1.5 million grant is going toward connecting kids involved in crime with support services and helping community groups raise awareness about gun violence.

Teens in the program still face criminal penalties for the felonies with which they were charged, but police officials hope providing them with support services will stop them from getting in more trouble.

The in-person program is a collaboration with the Florida Virtual School and Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

Some advocates argue lawmakers should focus more on expanding mental health support and education to prevent youth gun violence. And they say adults who are negligent with their firearms should be held accountable for helping kids access them.

Youth advocates are working hard to defuse the trauma of gun violence in Florida, even as more kids are caught with guns.

Youth advocates are working hard to defuse the trauma of gun violence in Florida, even as more kids are caught with guns.

Community leaders say the recent shooting in Tampa's Ybor City highlights the need to curb gun violence among young people. Advocates are calling for more resources to combat the problem.

In the first part of our series Growing Up With Guns, we look at Hillsborough’s Youth Gun Offender program. It's tackling crime by offering teens mentorship, education and mental health services.

Instead of arresting juvenile first-time offenders, law enforcement agencies in some Florida counties are opting for civil citations.

Juvenile arrests in Florida have reached the lowest number in 43 years, according to a report from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

After a year of policy changes designed to decrease rates of juvenile arrests, a report shows Hillsborough County made significant improvements keeping…