Mentors Needed In Mobile County

More than a thousand children in Mobile county alone are on probation for breaking the law.
Ninety percent of those children come from single family homes, mostly mothers raising their children.
While it's the court's job to punish young offenders, The WKRG News 5 Crime Solutions Task Force looks at how the system is trying to prevent trouble.

Like so many children...without a mother and father, 15 year old Brandon Shamburger found trouble, "Oh, it's hard out there..because you like..you got peer pressure, drugs, gangs out there and everything."

Busted with marijuana at school, Brandon spent 18 days behind bars at Strickland Youth Center.

"Oh, you don't wanna go that way. It ain't nice being behind the bars, going to sleep when they tell you to go to sleep. That ain't good, come out when they tell you to come out. Best to be free. You don't have to deal with that", says Brandon.

While at Strickland Brandon and other at risk kids teamed up with a local artist from the Mobile Arts Council. Youth Court Judge Edmond Naman is so proud of what they accomplished, "You wouldn't believe the change it made on these children by just putting them with somebody positive getting them on a positive routine and showing and really enhancing their skills".

For weeks, the kids worked together on a mural. Bright colors illustrate hope, love, and strength. The young artists named it ' The Road To Tomorrow '.

Brandon says, "Oh, every time I see it, I tell them. I helped paint that. It felt good to say that..that you helped did some good".

Judge Naman needs more mentors like the artist who guided Brandon on this project.
The Judge says being a surrogate not only helps the child's family, but yours too.

"You ignore those kids that are most at need...you ignore them at your own peril. Because those are the young kids that are more likely to do harm to you or someone that you love", says Naman.

When Rose Ann Haven asked Brandon "Before you got in trouble and got caught, where do you think you were headed? Where was your future headed then? Brandon responded, "Either jail or death".

Now Brandon plans on finishing school and getting a job when he turns 16. Judge Naman calls him a fine young man..he has high hopes Brandon will succeed.

For more information on how you can help kids like Brandon, contact the Strickland Youth Center.