In the wake of recent gun violence involving local children, South Florida leaders are pushing for federal funding to protect South Florida's youth.
Earlier this week, state U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson met with top law enforcement officers, school administrators, and justice system leaders and said they are united in pushing to get federal funds that will help stop the destruction of teenage lives.
Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho recently suggested installing cameras outside of Miami-Dade's 520 schools to surveil student and neighborhood activity.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez agrees, saying that he thinks technology and support programs are ways to curb the violence.
Carlos Martinez, Miami-Dade’s top public defender, and his team see all the circumstances that have gone wrong leading up to the arrest of teens they defend in court.
Martinez said he thinks the county’s healthcare system can be deployed to help.
The overarching hope is that federal funds from Washington, D.C., will protect the kids on the right track and keep other at-risk youth out of juvenile correctional centers.