Superior Court Judge Christopher C. Edwards will host a panel workshop for parents on how to detect and prevent criminal behavior in children and teens.

The discussion is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. Thursday, June 10, at the Fayette County Administrative Complex meeting room (suite 212) at the corner of Ga. highways 54 and 85 in Fayetteville.

“This is not to be a general discussion of juvenile crime. We have enough of that,” said Edwards. “These professionals will instead offer various specific instructions in how to predict, detect and prevent our children from going wrong. The focus is on various specific how-to's.”

Joining Edwards on the panel will be school psychologist Luanne Moore, juvenile detective Sgt. Roland Floyd, drug abuse prevention specialist Charla Reese of McIntosh Prevention Services, and a representative of the state's Department of Correction trained and experienced in juvenile crime.

“Of course, this workshop cannot address specific legal cases and is not intended as a substitute for individualized professional mental health services,” said Edwards. “It is intended to educate parents on what is going on in their children's world and, specifically, how to guard against it.”

The panel has also created a written list of specific suggestions parents can use which will be provided at no charge.

“Parents need very specific advice,” said Edwards. “For example, parents must make it a routine practice to speak in detail with the parents of their children's friends to know who the friends' parents are. This creates accountability and prevents heartache.

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