An epidemic of property crimes and vandalism by persons too young to prosecute through normal channels has frustrated local law enforcement, and often is interrupted by the general public as police failure, or indifference. 

Not so, says Panola County Shane Phelps.

“People are concerned and upset and they have a right to be,” Phelps said last week. “They wake up and find their car broken into, or something stolen from their property, and they expect the people we catch to be punished.”

“The problem is that because the people our deputies are catching, and the Batesville and Sardis and Como police are catching, we can’t hold them. They are fourteen or fifteen and sometimes younger. So many times they are back on the streets before officers finish getting their reports written.”

Phelps said the youth crime problem locally convinced him there is a need for a community meeting to allow citizens an opportunity to hear law enforcement’s challenges, and discuss ways to make improvements in an open forum setting.

That setting will be the Panola County Courthouse on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m. At the open meeting, Phelps said police from his department and municipal departments from around Panola will be on hand, along with County Attorney Gaines Baker and Youth Court Judge Andy Yelton.

Representing the Legislature will be local elected officials Rep. Josh Hawkins and Sen. Nicole Boyd. They will speak on efforts currently underway at the state level to pass legislation that would give police, prosecutors, and judges more options in handling youth offenders.

“I’m asking local pastors to be there, local law enforcement, and especially the public who are upset and feel like they aren’t getting the answers they want when we have these types of situations come up,” Phelps said. “It’s not just our county, it’s a problem all across the state and country, but we can’t continue this here. We are going to have to find some solutions to deal with these youth.”

School officials from both North and South Panola districts are also expected to attend.

“I think once we get everybody together and can talk out some of these things then the public will understand better what we are up against and maybe it will be the start of some change for our county,” Phelps said.

The sheriff, along with Baker, has advocated for the construction of a youth detention center in Panola County. The David Bryan Justice Complex will be debt-free next year, and Phelps has proposed building a new justice center and jail, leaving the current facility available for conversion to a youth center.

Currently, when young offenders are arrested for crimes more serious than burglary and theft, local police must transport them to a Greenwood facility, and sometimes further if no space is available. Also, the county must pay other facilities to house youth, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars a year.

“Anyone who wants to be a part of this is welcome to attend,” Phelps said. “I hope we have a courthouse full of people because it’s going to take all of the community to get this problem under control.”