Gail Keith, executive director of the CC! in Jacksonville, led an organizational meeting focused on curbing homicides by bolstering the city’s character-building efforts. City leaders, including Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford, met in City Hall to kick off the initiative.

"We need a two-prong approach of enforcement and prevention, and prevention is more important," the sheriff said.

The Jacksonville CC! Coalition will hold workshops to teach core values like reliability and self control. Task force members also include leaders from other agencies and businesses in Jacksonville, and Keith hopes the entire community will get involved. Keith knows this will not be easy and will not stop crime right away, but, she says “you have to start somewhere.”

Read more in articles from the Florida Times-Union and First Coast News.