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Murder rates have risen during the first half of the year in several US cities. Many of the homicide victims have been juveniles. Now city officials and police in some communities are fighting back with programs designed to steer young people away from a life of crime. Newark, New Jersey, has seen a spike in homicides, robberies, drug dealing and gang activity. People in the community are upset - especially about the rising murder rate among young African-Americans. "It just hurts when I see so much violence, especially when you are killing your brother, black on black crime," said community activist Reggie Miller. Community activist Reggie Miller runs programs that offer positive social and emotional development skills for young black children. His goal is to convince them to stay out of trouble and finish college. "I am trying to get them to just look at life critically and know that they need to [go] through education, through service and giving back that your life can take a greater turn from where you are right now," said Miller. Dennis Rodriguez knows young people who have committed crimes but who want to change their lives. "A lot of them understand that they have the talents and capabilities but a lot of them think that those talents and capabilities is not what it is (they are) supposed to be. A lot of them think they should use that talent and capabilities for something destructive rather than something constructive," said Rodriguez. | 
