PINE BLUFF, Ark. - Juvenile violence is on the decline in Pine Bluff.

The Pine Bluff School District (PBSD) shared on Friday that office discipline referrals have nearly halved over the past two school years.

Officials said that if one thing could be pointed to as a cause, it would be the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) movement. Jennifer Barbaree became PBSD superintendent shortly before the implementation of GVI in area schools.

“When GVI first started, we had lost nine students to murder in that school year,” Barbaree said.

In July, it will be a year and a half since a juvenile homicide in Pine Bluff.

PBSD office discipline referrals decreased by 30% this past school year. In elementary schools, discipline referrals have dropped by an average of 50%, with 34th Elementary seeing t

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