Posted on April 22, 2019
In a recent Star-Ledger op-ed, Mayor Ras J. Baraka reflected upon the information presented at the Newark Kids Count release this past March, including the high percentage of young men falling victim to violence. From 2012 to 2016, homicide was the leading cause of injury-related deaths among Newark males between the ages of 15 and 24, with a total of 122 fatalities, accounting for 75 percent of injury-related fatalities to young men. In contrast, for young men in the same age group across the state, that figure was 27 percent.
In April, Mayor Baraka announced a new initiative aimed at decreasing violence and conflict among the city’s youth. The Brick City Peace Collective (BCPC) aims to create a network of organizations focusing on eliminating conflicts before they become violent. In addition, he highlights other strategic and comprehensive community engagement programs aimed at helping the city’s youth.
Read the op-ed here.
Read the 2019 Newark Kids Count report here.
