DC group mentors at-risk kids amid crime spike

(NewsNation) — The nation’s capital is seeing an uptick in youth violence and crime, but a local organization is mentoring at-risk teens and providing support to get to the root of the issue.

Marcelles Queen founded Representation for the Bottom in 2023 to counter gun violence and youth crime in Washington, D.C. He spoke to NewsNation about his work, saying everyone needs to come together for the children.

“You’re seeing a lot more families struggle, and they really don’t have a grip on their 14- to 16-year-olds. So you see them being misled, and you see them making bad decisions,” Queen said on “NewsNation Now.”

Queen says he himself was an at-risk youth who spent time in juvenile detention centers as well as prison. These experiences pushed him to step in to help the next generation find healthy and productive outlets.

“Everybody just needs to come together and pour into the kids, right? Because I’ve never seen 12-year-olds pull on robberies and carjackings.” Queen said. “Most of the kids I’ve come across, it just takes a little bit more time, and the mother needs a little bit more help, and I’m able to get them back on track.”

Violent crime was up 39% in the city in 2023, with young people making up the majority of arrests for crimes like robbery and carjackings. The average age of those arrests was 15 years old, according to data.