Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon says a vast majority (roughly 75 percent) of the local juvenile court system cases involve child welfare issues (e.g., child support, custody, termination of parental rights, neglect, etc.).
“Only 25 percent is on the delinquency [behavior] side," he says, "and you look at the headlines and think the opposite."
Sugarmon joins host Eric Barnes and Daily Memphian reporter Aarron Fleming to discuss common adolescent court cases and the actions the local juvenile court system is taking to prevent and respond to them.
Additionally, Sugarmon talks about blended sentencing and the reopening of the Shelby County Juvenile Court building.