27 Feb

Advocacy group for juveniles challenges authorities to use more civil citations

Posted by in ICARE, Minority Rights, Racial Justice

February 27, 2017. The Florida Times-Union.

An interfaith advocacy group that wants to increase the use of juvenile civil citations here is setting a new benchmark for success — and putting pressure on the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to make it happen.

Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation and Empowerment, or ICARE, wants to see 90 percent of eligible kids receive civil citations instead of being arrested for misdemeanor offenses. Police officers can issue the citations, which do not require an arrest or create a criminal record, to juveniles who commit minor crimes.

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17 Mar

ICARE pushes on “systemic” Jacksonville issues of crime, homelessness, poverty

Posted by in Homeless Services, ICARE, Racial Justice

March 17, 2016. FloridaPolitics.com

Pressing hard on issues ranging from homelessness to what to do about ex-offenders leaving prison, ICARE Jax, or the Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation and Empowerment, is unveiling its 2016 action plan this week at a major rally.

“A new initiative we’ll talk about is that we want to engage a process to help more ex-offenders leaving the prison system,” said ICARE co-president the Reverend James Wiggins of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

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22 Dec

Faith leaders urge state lawmaker to support juvenile justice bill

Posted by in ICARE, Racial Justice

December 21, 2015. Florida Times-Union.

“Jingle Bells” wafted through The Jacksonville Landing as about three dozen people stood on its front steps and prayed.
“Fill the hearts of our public officials with the fire of your love, and with the desire to ensure justice for our children,” they recited in unison. “May we secure equality for all our brothers and sisters throughout the state.”

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