BALTIMORE — Some Baltimore City churches are taking action in response to the recent surge in crime involving youth.
They say the goal is to help guide children down the right path in life, hoping to reduce the number of juvenile crimes in the city.
The focus of the sermon given by Reverend Dante K. Miles of Kiononia Baptist Church on Sunday was about helping the children in Baltimore say away from crime and ensure that they have a safe space to turn to whenever they need help.
Rev. Miles says it's important to focus on the youth and fight against the increase in crime among them.
In September, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services released a statement saying that despite crime declining in recent years, the number of youth involved in gun violence has increased significantly.
At the service, they discussed things that can be done to make sure the younger members of the community are safe. They talked about parenting, providing safe spaces, and ways to prevent a child from falling victim to violence.
Rev. Miles says he doesn't want children in Baltimore to continue to be a negative statistic.
“We prayed with our children today because so much is going on in our city, in our state, our country, where our children feel left behind, and we want them to know that we are there for them. It was us and seven other churches throughout the city that have done this, and today is just the beginning. Because with school and then it will be summer again, we want our children to know there is a safe place where they can come,” he said.
Rev. Miles says most of the time, children are told what they need, so instead, the church will hold listening campaigns so they can talk about what they need to be supported in their community.
Rev. Miles also says his church will continue to push to reduce youth violence in Baltimore.
