‘I’m not trying to go back to jail:’ Judge creates program after many Clayton teens found with guns

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A local chief juvenile judge says there are too many children coming into her court after getting arrested for having guns, so she began looking for solutions.

We are shining a light on people and programs that offer solutions to crime, that’s what brought Channel 2s Tom Jones to Chief Judge Salvia Smith Fox’s courtroom.

Jones saw firsthand how she is working to keep guns out of the hands of teens and keep communities safe. Jones talked to young people who admitted they carried guns.

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“I had a firearm at school,” a 16-year-old boy said.

He was arrested. Another teen, also 16, admitted to packing a pistol. Channel 2 Action News were allowed to show their faces but not use their names.

Jones asked one of the teens why he felt the need to have a gun. It’s illegal for someone under 18 to own one in Georgia.

He said it was simple.

“It’s other black youth out here who want to kill black youth like me,” he said.

Judge Fox says there’s no reason for a child to have a gun.

“Here in Clayton County, we have a lot of kids that have firearms. Right? It’s a problem that we have,” she admitted.

Fox and two other judges began looking for solutions.

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They started a program called CHIP.

It stands for Clayton County Handgun Intervention Program,” she said.

It’s a 6-week program where first-time juvenile offenders are exposed to the consequences of illegally owning a gun. The participants meet once a week.

“This is reality. What will happen to any of you who will not change the course that you’re on,” Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen told the teens as they toured the jail. 

The teens didn’t like the experience at all.

“I don’t like how we went there and tried to treat us like we’re inmates,” one of the teens said.

Another said jail was horrible.

“It just looks weird in there. You ain’t gonna be able to eat what you want,” the teen explained.

During other sessions, the teens heard from police, gang investigators, and District Attorney Tasha Mosley.

“At this young age there is no reason for you to have a gun,” Mosley told them.

Another week, the teens had to pretend to be someone from the medical examiner’s office telling their family they had been killed.

One teen recalled what he told his mother: “Excuse me ma’am your son had died.”

Jones asked what did that do to his mom.

“She was sad. Crying,” the teen replied.

Fox says the exercise was emotional.

“I think that kind of really brought it home to them,” she said.

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The program is a part of their probation terms. Attendance is mandatory and they have to bring a parent or guardian.

One teen said he learned a lot and he says no more guns for him.

“I wouldn’t carry no more guns. I’m not trying to go back to jail,” he said.

That’s the goal of the program: Keeping guns out of the hands of kids and keeping them out of jail.

Fox hopes they will go back to their communities and share what they learned with their friends. And, their friends will also decide they have no business carrying guns.

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