Dr. Damone Jones has worked years helping young people in the criminal justice system turn their lives around.
As he reflects on his very critical work, he is able to provide insight into why he does this work and the impact he wants to make, write Kerri Corrado and Jim McHugh for CBS News Philadelphia.
For Dr. Jones, senior pastor of Bible Way Baptist Church, it’s about his concern for people who are suffering from gun violence and an attempt to change the mindsets of individuals who have been causing these problems.
Through his other role as president of the Brothahood Foundation, a basketball mentoring organization that visits Philadelphia prisons, he’s able to do it in a unique way.
“It’s an interesting experience. It can also be a little depressing to see children in cells … and incarcerated,” Dr. Jones said. “But when you sit one-on-one with a lot of these kids, you’ll find out they are very similar to any other kids that you may interact with.”
He often leads open conservations, allowing him to learn about what’s going on and show them there are other pathways they can take.
This ties into what he believes are the two keys to make change: building relationships and listening.
Read more about Dr. Damone Jones and his work to help youth in CBS News Philadelphia.
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