Children are especially vulnerable to violence and its consequences. In Memphis, Tennessee, after a stray bullet struck and killed a three-year-old girl in 2002, city leaders and residents renewed their commitment to help police reduce violence, especially violence by and against juveniles.

Under the direction of city leaders, the Memphis Police Department began consolidating its antiviolence programs for youth under the oversight of the Juvenile Violence Abatement Project (JVAP). The project takes advantage of the agency’s community policing resources and enlists the help of parents, schools, and community organizations of all types to reach and teach local youth. JVAP’s approach to youth violence comprises three components: