It started in the streets, but it’ll end at home.

In response to a recent spike in crime in the city, theCommunity Action Group of Brookhaven will hold a public conferenceSaturday to bring youth, parents and the community together todiscuss what each group can do to cut down on violence and crime.Beginning at 10 a.m. in the State Room on Cherokee Street, theconference will feature workshops and speakers who will try to getto the bottom of what it takes to encourage youth to live right andact right.

“We’re trying to bring parents, lawmakers and law enforcerstogether with the children to find out what it is we need to do tokeep them from getting involved in this behavior,” said CAGPresident Roy Smith. “We have to take baby steps. Even if we onlyreach one or two, at least we’re making a little progress.”

Smith said the conference would include discussions on crime ofall measures, with the main focus on domestic violence. He saidspeakers at the youth conference would include people who have beenon both sides of the exchange, with victims and perpetrators ofviolence explaining their encounters and how they recovered.

“The young boys now feel like they can fight with theirgirlfriends and stuff like that, and we just can’t have that,” hesaid. “We’re trying to teach them to respect one another.”