(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - In 2023, the city of Peoria saw a 37% increase in the number of juveniles arrested from the previous year.

While those numbers are concerning, so are the ages of the victims in the city.

Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood joins us now.

Thanks for coming in.

Appreciate it.

- Thank you, Mark.

I appreciate it.

- Well, let's talk about you and your office are very busy, and what are you seeing out there when you go out to these crime scenes?

I'm sure you hear stories, you talk to witnesses, people all around.

What are you seeing in terms of young people when it comes to violent situations?

- What we're seeing historically, when I look back on the last eight years, victims who were in their 30s and 40s, some of 'em in their mid-20s, but now, over the last few years, and even into 2024, victims who are 16, 18, 21, where this whole life before them is taken in just the midst of violence, and it's a lot.

And not only are we seeing the younger victims who are losing their life through violence, but in the crowd of people are also youths that young, and even younger, in their teenage years, or even younger than that, who are witnessing this trauma that the community is going through in their neighborhoods, and that is concerning, too, the impact of that on those kids who are witnessing something that happened to someone just a few years older than them.

So it's a lot.

- In talking with police, are the victims that we're seeing, are they having these crimes perpetrated against other young people?

Is it what you see- - Yeah, that's another thing that we're seeing, too, and, you know, when we collaborate with the police department and they do their investigation, and then they get their suspects, we are seeing a lot of youth on youth violence.

The fortunate thing is they're surviving.

The ones that come into my care are a small percentage.

However, one's too many, because it's preventable.

- Mmm-hmm.

When you go to a crime scene, let's say a young man has been shot, the body's there, people are gathered around, what kind of, are people upset?

Are they wondering why this happened?

Are they vowing revenge?

What kind of things do you see from the other kids and just other people around a crime scene like that?

- You know, it's a mix of things.

Generally, if there's parents, family members, you can't quite describe the distraughtness that they're going through, the grief that they're going through.

They, of course, wanna be with their loved one, touching 'em, and things like that, which we prevent in a crime scene, of course.

And then there's the outskirts of people, who at times have been violent.

I've witnessed windows getting broken out of cars on a death scene, people screaming, flailing, carrying on, and going through that.

And a lot of times, it is a heavy scene, really heavy with emotion, grief, anger.

Sometimes, people will say, "We knew this was gonna happen."

Other times, they're bewildered and they're shocked.

So it's a mix.

And myself and my staff go through training on how to manage these situations, and each one's different.

And one of the things that we've learned is you have to meet people where they are, particularly family members.

You have to meet them where they are.

If they're shocked, or bewildered, whatever that is, we just have to be able to lean into them in a manner of which they feel comforted by us, but then we're gonna take care of what we need to take care of as far as justice for their loved one.

- When there are other juveniles on the scene of a crime like this, I wonder if seeing that, I mean, it's gotta be traumatic, but if seeing that makes them say, "Okay, this is not the life I want, "I'm gonna go in a different direction," or are they so filled with emotion and rage that they may do something similar?

- I've done a lot of research on this.

I'm finishing, I have two weeks of grad school left, and I spent an incredible amount of time in school studying communities and community violence, and one of the things that stands out in the research and the literature is that when young people, youth, even children witness violence, it almost becomes part of their social norm, and we know that that's not normal.

It's not normal to inflict violence onto another person with a gun, or any other kind of weapon.

But the literature will show once they've experienced it, it becomes part of their norm, and then it's not so surprising anymore when they're witnessing it.

They almost expect it to happen in their neighborhood, unfortunately, as their norm, which obviously it's not.

- Yeah, that's interesting, because I guess as part of your job, people are probably wondering how you condition yourself to deal with the things that you see, and you have to be there to support families who are obviously emotional, but you're a person, and you have emotions.

How do you balance all that?

- Yeah, I have a child.

I have a child that I had adopted whose mother died of a drug overdose and his father was murdered here in Peoria.

So I see violence and drug addiction through a different lens, because it's impacted my life, and I never thought it would.

Never did I think it was gonna impact my life.

I wouldn't ever say that I'm conditioned to it.

The impact of the families and their emotions hits my heart, bar none hits my heart.

But you have to put up certain walls as well to investigate non-biasedly.

So we have to go into our scenes, and investigate, and collaborate with the police department without bias.

After that part is done, then we immerse ourselves into the family, and I carry their emotions with me.

There's cases I'll never forget.

We made a death notification a few years back for a woman whose son was murdered, and it was a chaotic scene, 7:10 in the morning, giving this information to the family that their son was dead.

I think he was only 16, and in the midst of the chaos, there was two kids, I'll never forget this, very young with backpacks on, and the school bus pulled up, and during the midst of the chaos, they actually got on the school bus, and went to school.

And those things are things that penetrate my heart and impact me, because I think about that becoming the societal norm for them, that we have violence, people die all the time around us, and we just get on the bus and go to school.

And it's absolutely not the right way it should happen as far as caring for what they just witnessed, 'cause it's a lot.

It's a lot for me to see as an adult.

I can't even imagine the impact as a child.

- Yeah, and I can't imagine them having to put up those walls themselves just to get through the day.

- [Jamie] Yeah, I can't even.

- With, you know, the juveniles being victims of violence, do you have any insights into why that seems to be increasing?

- Well, I think we need to look back in our communities as a whole, and look at our social determinants of health, that Monica Hendrickson's talked about the health determinants for quite some time, and I've done study on it as well, and we have to look at the health of our community.

And when I look at youth today, I think of people like Hedy Elliott, who spent a grave amount of her time with literacy, adult education programs, GED programs.

Without these adjuncts, particularly literacy, if kids can't read by the fourth grade reading level, statistically speaking, they're more likely to turn to violence later in life, 'cause if you can't read, you can't get a decent paying job, and you can't live any kind of abundant life on wages that are equivalent to people who can't read, right?

So you have to be able to read, and to be able to read, you gotta show up to school.

So now we're looking at literacy rates and truancy rates.

How often are children showing up to school, or how often are they not?

Are they completing their work at home, and fulfilling their educational demands through the school system?

But then they have the impact of trauma, too, that they witness, or the impact of a single parent home, a fatherless home, a mentor-less home, mom who's working two jobs, raising three other kids, but she's not home, depending on an 11-year-old to watch a four-year-old.

You know, you can paint these pictures that most people think are fictitious.

To me, they're reality, because I go into their homes, and I see the impact of what poverty looks like, and poverty is a big word, but when we look at incomes of the 03, 04, 05 ZIP codes, the average income's $29,000 annually.

So then we think about fair housing, equal opportunity housing, the neighborhoods, and you can go on and on and on about food deserts, access to medication, diapers, formula, all of that stuff that plays into how is this kid gonna get to school today and learn, and then come home, and do the work that is required by the school, and then put it back out there into the world?

It's almost impossible.

- And it, you know, you see that a lot, but for those of us who live in a different neighborhood, don't live that kind of lifestyle, it's hard to process just how many obstacles these kids face as they're growing up.

- And parental obstacles as well.

Transportation is a huge issue, just getting from point A to point B to get groceries, to come home, to make sure the kids have a nutritious meal, where they feel fortified and energized enough to even try to learn the material.

But then you're looking at mom, or dad, who may, or may not have a high school education, or beyond high school education, to be able to learn the curriculums that are in the schools today.

They're much more robust.

And so, you have to look at that paradigm as well.

I mean, there's so many things that come right back down to why is this youth carrying a gun and firing it upon another youth, 'cause then we're able to look at conflict resolution, and where is that learned as well?

I mean, we can go on.

- Sometimes in life, you know, we look at the situations that you just mentioned.

Spending time in jail for some people may not seem that bad.

I mean, you're guaranteed three meals a day, you got a place to sleep, you got a roof over your head.

I mean, it's not an excuse to do anything, but boy, the times are tough out there for sure.

- Well, and then people question how does a youth turn to the support of a gang, and they do, they do, because the gang offers them a meal.

They offer them security, protection, camaraderie, mentorship, leadership, someone to put their arm on them, and say, "Hey, we got you, we got you."

And it's easy, 'cause then they're vulnerable already, 'cause they're not getting, they're not getting the nutritional needs they have at home, or the attention, to no fault of anyone, Mark.

I don't want my message to be misconstrued that I'm placing blame anywhere.

It's just how the society has formulated, unfortunately.

It's access to everything that I have access to in Dunlap that's not accessible on the South Side of Peoria.

- When there is an incident of violence, and, you know, God forbid, a juvenile has died by a gunshot, or whatever, and there are other victims, the family, people who witnessed it, things like that, friends, is there help for them out there, whether it's through your office, or the police, or someone with the city, or county?

Do they try say to these kids, "Hey, we can get you some help, "whether it's talking to somebody, or social services," things like that?

- I was depending on PCAV, and I had a really good relationship with the Peoria Community Against Violence and their response staff to pick off where we left off.

We try to provide as much information as we can and support, but then there's that aftermath, and who is there to pick up those pieces?

They depend on their churches, their church families, and support there.

But socially speaking, I haven't seen it.

There could be a program that I don't know about, but if it was robust enough, I probably would have that information to pass on to families, or to provide that support.

I think it's a missing link here in the Peoria community, particularly with the exit of PCAV, who avenued those places and those people to those resources.

Now, I was in Cook County three weeks ago meeting with their staff there, and they have a dignified position for social services for victim advocates, whether it be a motor vehicle fatality, a drug overdose, a suicide, youth violence, homicide, et cetera, but they have a designated person that reaches out, and follows those people, and connects them to the resources, and it has made a difference in the support for families, and what they're given, and how they manipulate through what would otherwise be a dead end.

But now, they have resources, 'cause they've been connected through their coroner's office in Cook County.

- It sounds like it'd be something we could definitely use here, but with everything- - Yeah.

- People cost money, and- - People cost money.

It's on my radar.

It's on my radar for budget prep for 2025.

I know the State's Attorney Office here in Peoria County has a position posted for a social worker for advocacy purposes, and I hope that comes to fruition, and then that might be something we can be an adjunct to.

- Is there anything we can do as community members to try and lessen this problem?

I know we can't solve it, but what can we do?

Anything?

- I wish our community would take a step back out of their own realities, and immerse themselves into somebody else's reality, and understand where the barriers really are, because I feel like there's a significant amount of judgment that comes from people who don't understand, and I'm not saying I understand because I've walked that walk and lived that life, and I haven't.

But I have walked into their neighborhoods and immersed myself into a culture that other people will never understand when it comes to violence, and the impact of violence on people, and what resources I have compared to what they have is significantly different, and we need to be able to try to understand that, first of all, because once you have an understanding of what someone's going through, you feel more apt to help, and help could be reading with the Rotary group.

The Rotary Club I was involved in read at Trewyn, and I mentioned the impact of literacy.

It's so important for kids to be able to read, and that's one of the impacts of Rotary International and locally here in Peoria is literacy, and helping kids read in neighborhoods such as the 05 at schools like Trewyn to give them that extra oomph, and not only just reading, but mentorship, and love, and care, and compassion as well.

That's just one thing I can think of off the top of my head.

- Yeah, it seems like those kids need to know that there are alternatives, because if they're in the same neighborhood hanging out with kids who feel the same way, I mean, they must just think this is as good as it's ever gonna get.

- This is as good as it's ever gonna get, and I just simply don't believe that's true.

I don't.

I think the impact could be much, much more than what it is.

- It seems like as a society, we're finally trying to figure out that to lessen violence, and murder, and horrible things like that, more police aren't necessarily the answer, because the police can't be social workers, they can't be teachers and mentors as much as maybe they'd like to be.

We need to focus on the root issue.

- I firmly support in community policing.

I've witnessed it, particularly since our new chief came to town, and that's his investment is into community policing, so the neighborhoods know who their officers are, and they develop a relationship, 'cause to me it's about relationships partially.

The second part of your point's this.

I firmly believe in investing into our neighborhoods, and investing into our children, and that's financially, that's personally, that's volunteering your time, giving up your resources, and giving in that manner.

You have to invest in the neighborhoods, and then you have to invest in the children.

Let the police do their community policing and involvement in that direction, but we as a public, we have to do better.

- Mmm-hmm.

Well, we appreciate the work you do.

I know it's not easy going and seeing these horrible scenes, and not only that, but having to communicate with the families.

It's gotta be a tough job.

- It's a lot, but I think that's how God made me is to just give up my heart to people.

I feel completely at ease when I'm on scenes with the police and with the families.

I feel comfortable in being that person for them in that moment, and I give all myself.

I give my whole self to them, so they know that I care, that my staff cares, and that there's hope, and I think that's what it's about.

There's hope - There is, we're all one community.

- Yup.

- Doesn't matter what ZIP code you live in.

- Yup.

- Things affect everybody.

Jamie, we appreciate your time today, and thanks for coming in.

- Yeah, thank you, Mark.

- All right.

Well, one way for some kids to stay out of trouble is by working, but that's easier said than done.

Our Phil Luciano tells us about one Peoria program that's training those who have dropped out of school.

- [Phil] The Peoria Housing Authority hopes to help at risk youths while bettering the community.

A program called YouthBuild Peoria will prepare dropouts for careers in the construction trades.

The effort is a new approach for the PHA.

- So the Peoria Housing Authority's mission is to move families forward in areas of education, economic development, and health and equity.

And so, we have been on a mission to make sure that we have a more holistic approach when it comes to our families and the community.

And so, when we found out about the YouthBuild program, we thought that it would be a great opportunity to provide services that we don't traditionally get to provide to the youth.

- [Phil] YouthBuild is a nonprofit based in Massachusetts that provides education, counseling, and job skills to dropouts age 16 to 24 in almost 300 cities nationwide.

The PHA came aboard late last year thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Labor.

- Traditional educational paths are not for everyone.

We have a lot of youth that have so many different educational barriers themselves when it comes to processing, when it comes to just being able to keep up.

On average, these students are coming in, even though they went to high school, at a fourth and fifth grade level, - [Phil] Aside from academic challenges, participants might have dropped out for a host of reasons, such as legal run-ins, family issues, or neighborhood trauma.

- We try to target those that are just totally just in a struggle and at risk at this point.

- [Phil] As case manager, Wright works with participants regarding issues that can hinder progress and learning, such as finances and relationships.

Help includes counseling and anger management.

- My job is to kind of remove some of those barriers to help them be engaged and be successful in the program.

- [Phil] YouthBuild will have three nine-week cohorts over this year and the next.

The program, which includes GED courses, will focus on carpentry.

Participants can earn three different kinds of trade certifications.

- So within that carpentry element, we take them through construction core courses.

So the students will learn about blueprint readings, students will learn about basic hand tools, basic power tools, and then they also do a lot of project-based learning.

So they'll learn how to nail studs, they'll learn how to do frames, they'll build a mock house, they'll learn how to use the power tools, and actually use these power tools to do small projects.

And then one of the greatest assets of this program in terms of hands-on experience, we have a work site that those students will actually go to, and learn how to rehabilitate a home, and when it's finished, we'll take that home, and we'll sell it, or rent it to a low-income family.

- [Phil] Meantime, students learn to rely not just on teachers and mentors, but each other.

- How do we provide something where a lot of students know, "Okay, I'm here with somebody that's going through "the same thing that I'm going through, "so now I have a person that I can lean on, "and they can lean on me"?

Their whole philosophy has changed in such a short period of time since they've been here, because they feel supported, they feel loved, they feel like they are seen, they, you know, they're really committed, they wanna be here, and it's their choice.

- [Phil] Overall, students start to see a way to leave behind past mistakes.

- They're starting to understand through programs like this is that, "Okay, I have to start correcting my mistakes, "and start taking accountability for my mistakes, "and for my life."

- [Phil] After the program, graduates can count on the PHA for help in their next steps, including a career path.

- We just don't say, "Okay, well, you're graduated the program, good luck."

Like we continue to make sure that they are going to be successful.

- Welcome back, we are joined by our colleague Phil Luciano.

Good to see you, Phil.

- Oh, glad to be here, and the topic is so, so deep and layered, right, like Jamie Harwood was saying, and a couple things, the takeaways for me as I'm watching you guys talk is twofold.

One, Jamie said, "There's always hope," and there is hope.

You see in that, the package we just did, the story we just did about the PHA, and you think, "Well, the PHA, I know what the PHA does.

"It's about housing, right?"

And it's like all of a sudden, boom, we wanna get involved with more.

We wanna help more.

And the program they're doing, there had been this program back in the '70s, and I guess it worked pretty well, but like a lot of things, the money ran out.

And so, 50 years later, all of a sudden, this presents itself, and the PHA is like, "Yeah, let's do it, let's get something going."

And that's just great that an agency that had not done something like that before is now involved, and it can only help, right?

I think that was a great thing.

And what Jamie said, one thing that, you know, and you were asking him how can we as society, as just individuals walking around, how can we help with something that's so difficult, this whole notion of trauma, and these neighborhoods, where it's become part of the culture, and it's so deep, it's so layered, it's so horrible, right?

And one thing he mentioned is the connection between violence, trauma, and literacy, and I, a while back, I don't know, a year ago, or so, I read something about how there's this connection, as he was mentioning, if you're like, be third grade, fourth grade, if you don't learn how to read by then, lots of bad stuff, including in a lot of cases prison, things that lead to prison.

And I thought, "Well, that's gotta be "just kind of a link, right?"

"I'm a bad," I'm not gonna say a bad person, "I've gone down a bad road," or, "I'm headed down a bad road.

"I don't wanna read.

"And so, I'm gonna do these bad things."

In a lot of cases, that's not how it is.

It's sort of how Jamie was catching out.

Can't read, don't wanna go to school, don't wanna do this, gonna go hang out with these bad people, and just because you don't know how to read, horrible things happen.

So that's one of those where you think, "Well, teaching kids how to read, "and helping kids how to read, "that'll keep 'em off a bad route, out of prison?"

Yeah, apparently- - Well, certainly gives them a lot more options.

- Yeah, it's one of those, it's so simple, and does it really work?

Apparently it does.

- All right, well, some solutions are simple.

- Others- - Yeah.

- Not so much.

- Yeah, yeah.

- Well, let's do a pivot here, talk about what's coming up in just a few minutes on "You Gotta See This."

- Oh, cicadas, cicadas, cicadas.

You know they're coming.

- Yes, they are.

- You know they're coming, and we've got multiple stories about cicadas.

One is just a nice roundup of when to expect them, and which ones are gonna be where, and where in the state might there be a little bit of an overlap, and it is right around here.

- [Mark] Hmm.

- We're also gonna talk to an expert in cicadas, well, all bugs actually, and that's in eating insects, and I thought that, I saw this as kind of a throwaway line in a story about cicadas.

"Ah, well maybe some people eat 'em."

This is a professor from ISU, and she has studied, written books about eating insects, and she talks about how some bugs are yummy, some bugs are not, and what you might wanna do in terms of, meh, eating cicadas, and we practice what we preach, Mark.

Julie and I munch- - Ooh.

- On a few cicadas.

- Oh, now this isn't a cop out, like chocolate-covered cicadas- - No, they're just pure cicada.

(Phil laughing) Nothing but cicada.

- They dead?

- They are, you'll have to see.

- Oh- - You have to pay attention- - "You Gotta See This."

All right, Phil, sounds like a great show.

- Got a lot of other stuff on it, so join us in a few minutes.

- Sounds good, and thank you for joining us.

You can check us out anytime at wtvp.org, and on Facebook and Instagram.

Have a good night.

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