Desiderius Erasmus
JIFF provides youth from the juvenile justice system with the skills, support and direction necessary to break the destructive cycle of criminal behavior.
JIFF (Juvenile Intervention and Faith-Based Follow-Up) originated as the Memphis branch of Mid-South Youth for Christ (MSYFC), an organization dedicated to campus life clubs, neighborhood outreach, and youth guidance. MSYFC also worked with juveniles who were involved with the justice system.
Rick Carr, with a background in corrections ministry, joined MSYFC in August 2000. At the time, Memphis had extremely high crime and juvenile recidivism was at an all-time high.
The JIFF program objectives are to:
Offer genuine alternatives (to repeat criminal activity) to youth who have been involved with the juvenile justice system.
Promote academic success (growth) among youth whose families are or have been involved with the juvenile justice system.
Encourage and positively influence the families of youth involved with the juvenile justice system.