Mayor Strickland: Juvenile Crime Is a Revolving Door on Steroids

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Memphis mayor Jim Strickland is calling for tougher juvenile crime laws following violent weeks of crime across the city.

“We all know 201 Poplar and are adult prisons are a revolving door, juvenile crime is a revolving door on steroids,” Strickland told “Wake Up Memphis” Friday.

On Wednesday, 19-year-old suspect Ezekiel Kelly went on a shooting rampage across Memphis, killing four and injuring three others.

in 2021, Kelly was sentenced to three years behind bars for attempted first-degree murder. He served only 11 months.

“Crime is a very complex issue,” Strickland told KWAM. “But there’s one simple thing we know.. had this man served his entire three-year sentence, he would be in prison this morning and those four lives would still be with us.”

Strickland said there’s a lack of accountability in how Shelby County handles crimes committed by juveniles.

“People don’t understand how little punishment and how little intervention is going on with these young people,” he added.

The mayor voiced his support for stricter sentences for violent juvenile criminals, expanding the age of juvenile court from 18 to 25 and adding funding to strengthen the court’s system.

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR JIM STRICKLAND BELOW:


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