JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Crime scenes and police lights have unfortunately become a common sight in Jacksonville.
Activist Biko MisaBiko, who volunteers with Cure Violence, calls it a community health crisis fueled by a lack of resources.
“Poor schooling, no employment, lack of employment... all those factors add to violence in the community," he explains. "So that’s why we’re seeing a lot of it rampant and all over Jacksonville."
But what are some solutions the community can do?
The group MAD DADS is convinced that when shootings happen in public places, only the community can help JSO solve the crime.
“We can’t expect JSO to do something and they were not there, they need our help," Donald Foy, the present of MAD DADS, said. "And up until the community steps up and do what they suppose to do which is breaking the code of silence and telling what they know, these individuals are going to continue to do what they’re doing."
Others believe stopping violence starts in the home. The group Operation Save our Sons has been focused on providing positive roles models for kids, and encourages others to do the same.
“A lot of times in the community, we focus on the negative, nobody talks about the solutions," said Alphonso Mcclendon, chair of the board of directors ‘Save our Sons’.
"Operation Save our Sons is bringing a solution to the community that can curb the violence, that can increase education, increase graduation rates. So, our thing is not focusing on the negative in our community, but pulling the positive out of it and being role models ourselves within the community.”