ABBEVILLE — Mayor Roselyn White, held her first town hall meeting addressing public safety since taking office.
The meeting was held to address ongoing concerns in the community dealing with shootings and other violent acts. Many of the crimes that are being committed are directly linked to juveniles in the area.
We spoke with Program Director Talitha Boudreaux of Teen Court, a youth justice program in the city, who hopes that its involvement with the teens can amend the violence.
"It needs to come to a point where we have to find solutions to the problem and our kids are the problem and we don't have anything for the kids," says Boudreaux. "So now we have to come together and find ways to save our children because they are our future."
A city wide curfew suggestion was made by Councilman Francis Touchet.
"Where those kids are bring them home and hold them accountable, and make sure that is not something that is happening it might be to where this council needs to set a curfew," said Touchet.
Laurie Hulin, District Judge for the 15th Judicial District, says the construction of a new detention facility in the city, can help alleviate the current overcrowded centers around the state.
"We are pushing a bill through for this session to create an Acadiana juveniles district center," said Hulin.
KATC spoke to Denise Boudreaux, who has been personally affected by gun violence; her son James was tragically killed in 2020.
"We all need to come together for one purpose and that's to save our children from the streets," Boudreaux said.
