The rate of violent crime in Lexington is down nearly two percent compared to this time last year. Officials say the ONE Lexington program may be helping to prevent and reduce crime. ONE Lexington director Devine Carama said working with young people is important and that often means working with their families too.
“You can’t serve young people without wrapping your arms around the entire family. We can take them to a conflict resolution workshop, but then a lot of them are going to right back into situations that lead them back into that cycle. So how can we minister to the entire family, so we’ve been trying to find creative ways to do that.”
Carama said while the crime rate is declining, there is still a long way to go.
“In 2021 half of our homicides happened between the months of April and September. Those months are coming, we’re in it right now. Even though we’re seeing progress, there’s a lot of work to be done. We need everyone to step up. This needs to be the cause everybody gets behind.”
Since June of last year ONE Lexington has reached out to over three thousand young people and served 24 families affected by gun violence. The mayor has proposed expanding the program next year.
