Keeping young people out of jail and preventing gun violence

ORLANDO, Fla. – Solutionaries covers issues such as drug addiction, food deserts, phishing scams and unaffordable housing — all problems that require more than one solution.

Gun violence is no exception.

Gun violence affects communities across the U.S.; from big cities to small towns, shootings make headlines every day.

Some shootings stem from domestic violence or encounters with law enforcement.

Mass shootings and murders receive more public attention, though data has long shown that suicides account for over half of gun deaths in the U.S.

Pew Research compiled data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), FBI and other sources and found the number of gun fatalities has steadily increased over the years with 2021 recording the most of any year on record.

So what can we do to keep guns out of the hands of people who want to harm themselves or others?

The Solutionaries team in Virginia has a look at technology that’s being used to save lives and solve crimes.

The NIBIN system is also utilized in Florida.

Earlier this year, the Solutionaries team in Jacksonville requested an inside look at the process of how law enforcement tackles violent crime and several days and nights with special units to see if new tactics and technology are getting results.

You can read the entire story here.

Youth Gun Violence

Up until 2020, car accidents were the leading cause of death among children and teens in the U.S.

Now, gun violence takes more young lives than ever before.

Federal data from the CDC shows the number of gun deaths among American children and teenagers rose 50% between 2019 and 2021.

While painful stories of school shootings continue to make headlines every year, these attacks only account for a small percentage of juvenile gun deaths, 2021 data from the FBI shows.

More often we see tragic cases of kids caught in crossfire and teens gunned down over drugs or drama on social media.

A 2023 study by the University of Michigan found teens who are exposed to violence are more likely to carry a firearm.

So how do we break the cycle?

In Jacksonville, a pastor with a violent past is now dedicating his life to helping troubled kids choose a different path.

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Solutionaries is a production of the news teams at Graham Media Group stations KPRC-Houston, WDIV-Detroit, KSAT-San Antonio, WKMG-Orlando, WJXT/WCWJ-Jacksonville, and WSLS-Roanoke. On Solutionaries, we’re highlighting the creative thinkers and doers who are working to make the world a better place.