Marisa Schultz / Detroit News Washington Bureau

Washington — Speaking before a national summit Monday, Johnathon Matthews, a principal at Detroit's Cody High School, recalled a conversation with a troubled student that cut to the heart of the youth violence epidemic in Detroit and nationally.

Matthews warned the child if he doesn't change his behavior, he won't live until age 35.

"Why would I want to?" the child replied.

When beset with homelessness, poverty and starvation, "incarceration is an acceptable risk," Matthews said, sparking nods from the audience at the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. "In many cases, death is an acceptable risk.
"We need to provide our young people hope."

Matthews was joined by Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Police Chief Ralph Godbee and community activists as they launched a plan to reduce youth violence by strengthening prevention and intervention programs, and perhaps most importantly, creating more positive opportunities for young people.

The 34-page plan calls for in-school alternatives to suspensions, a social media campaign to lure youth from street violence and a renewed anti-gang ceasefire program. The effort will be rolled out this month in the neighborhoods around Cody and the adjacent Osborn and Denby high schools, which have been hotbeds for youth violence.