On this week's WKNO/Channel 10 “Behind the Headlines,” Tarik Sugarmon and Anthony Alexander outlined how new approaches to rehabilitation, education, and detention are shaping outcomes for young people in the system.
The conversation focused in part on recent declines in juvenile crime and what may be driving those trends. Sugarmon pointed to several factors behind declining crime rates, including a return to stability after COVID-19 disruptions and increased investment in youth-focused services.
“There are several significant factors. One coming out of COVID. We had a lot of children who were displaced. They took a couple of years to really get back on track,” Sugarmon said.
He added that the court has expanded partnerships with community organizations and job training programs, while closely tracking outcomes.
“We actually go in and we do a site visit and then they have to file an application quarterly… we make sure we're tracking the trends of work that they're supposed to be doing.”
While public attention often focuses on juvenile crime, Sugarmon emphasized that most of the court’s work involves child welfare cases.
“The majority of our cases [are] on the child welfare side, 79% of those cases,” he said.
At the detention level, Alexander stated that rehabilitation, rather than punishment, is the primary goal.
“It's not our job to punish. The courts are [there to] punish. It's our jobs to rehabilitate and to make sure that we are treating them with dignity and care,” he said.
The Shelby County Division of Corrections oversees more than just detention. It includes reentry programs, transitional housing and, more recently, the Youth Justice and Education Center, which opened under county control in late 2024.
At that facility, leaders have implemented changes to improve conditions and outcomes for detained youth. That includes replacing traditional jail uniforms with polo shirts and khakis, expanding access to hygiene products, and increasing family visitation.
“One of the first things we intentionally wanted to do was change the attire of the offender. If you dress somewhat out… [in] a prison garment, they may act out in that method. They see no hope. They see no future,” Alexander said.
Sugarmon said those changes, along with improved coordination between the courts and corrections staff, have increased efficiency and morale. The system can now handle significantly more cases per day and better maintain connections between youth and their families.
“That has been key to the rehabilitative process, keeping the family and youth connected together,” he said.
Officials also highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of youth crime, including education gaps, economic opportunity, and trauma.
Alexander pointed to research linking early literacy to incarceration risk and said his department has partnered with local schools to intervene earlier.
“There are statistics out that show that if a child can't read by the third grade, they're most likely will face some form of incarceration,” he said.
Sugarmon added that many property crimes, such as car break-ins, are tied to economic factors and access to opportunity.
“When I talk to young folk… so many of these children did not see themselves growing in Memphis. They saw Memphis growing, but they were not a part of that,” he said.
Despite progress, challenges remain. Sugarmon raised concerns about a state-contracted vendor responsible for filing child support cases, saying delays have contributed to a growing backlog.
“We're now $1.6 billion behind in child support collections because this vendor is not filing petitions in a timely manner,” he said.
Both officials emphasized that shifting towards rehabilitation, especially for youth aged 12 to 18, provides the best opportunity for long-term public safety.
“You can't expect to do the same… primarily punishment, and expect to change a person's trajectory,” Sugarmon said. “That hasn't worked, and we know that.”
Both Sugarmon and Alexander emphasized that the shift toward rehabilitation and early intervention will remain central to efforts to reduce juvenile crime.
