Mound Bayou youth crime prevention academy fills up before June 18 launch

Registration for the Don’t Do It Youth Crime Prevention Academy has already closed in Mound Bayou after families filled the program before its June 18 launch. The early sellout turns a youth violence-prevention effort into an immediate test of capacity, leaving parents and caregivers who waited too long to look for other summer options for their children.

The academy is part of a broader “Don’t Do It” youth initiative that city leaders launched on April 30 as part of the “Put Down the Gun” movement. That kickoff was scheduled from 5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. at Mound Bayou City Hall, 106 Green St. W., and organizers said it included a video game tournament, refreshments, food for youth participants and remarks from two inspirational speakers. Rickey Scott and Leighton Aldridge hosted the event.

Mayor Leighton Aldridge has tied the youth push to a wider public-safety response in the city. In a message to residents, he said Mound Bayou held an April 11 peace walk and prayer gathering with pastors, citizens, organizations and young people, and he announced a citywide curfew for people 18 and younger from 8:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. beginning April 13, 2026. Together, the curfew, the peace walk and the new academy show the city leaning on both enforcement and outreach to steer young people away from guns, conflict and risky behavior.

The demand for seats also fits what public-health agencies say works in violence prevention. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says evidence-based community violence prevention strategies include strengthening youth skills, connecting young people with caring adults and activities, and building protective environments. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention says it supports state, local and Tribal efforts to prevent youth delinquency and victimization. Research groups also note that violence often rises in summer months, which makes a full youth program especially relevant when school is out and idle time grows.

Mound Bayou’s history helps explain why local leaders continue to treat youth programming as a community priority. Founded in 1887 as an independent Black community, the town had a population of 1,534 in the 2020 census. In a small city with deep civic roots, the quick response to the academy suggests families see structured summer programming as more than an activity calendar item: it is a practical safety measure, and one that filled up before the first class could begin.