JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A panel of community members including a judge and a former prisoner were joined by guest speaker Mayor Lenny Curry Monday evening to discuss possible solutions to Jacksonville's crime problem.
The meeting, held at the University of North Florida, was part of series and focused on how to keep people from re-offending and re-entering the jail system
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Mayor Curry opened the discussion by assuring the audience of his commitment to solving the crime problem in Jacksonville, and his interest in finding a way to prevent former convicts from reentering the prison system.
The panel went on to review the factors that drive people to commit crime such as poverty, drug abuse, and family influence.
News4Jax spoke with Matt Duncan, a rehabilitated former inmate on the panel.
Duncan stressed the importance of prison programs that educate inmates and work to help them find employment after their release.
Duncan graduated from the Developing Adults with Necessary Skills program during the time he served.
"I got involved with that program because I felt like I needed to, I wanted to graduate high school.” said Duncan. “The biggest point is grabbing the youth— getting the youth to stop committing crimes."
Throughout the discussion Duncan as well as other panel members highlighted the success of programs such as the DAWN program have had in finding former inmates employment after their release and cutting down on future criminal behaviors.