As the school year ends and summer break begins, police and city officials across the country are bracing for large gatherings called "teen takeovers."
Kristin Henning, a professor and director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown Law, defines "teen takeovers" as a group of teenagers who get together at a designated time and location to do what teenagers do — socialize, hang out with friends and spend time outdoors.
These gatherings have been covered by the media in metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit and Washington, D.C. Critics complain these gatherings or flashmobs are too large, disruptive and dangerous, as some meetups have turned violent. Henning says her clinic hasn't seen many arrests connected to these gatherings in the D.C. area. She told NPR's Morning Edition that the large hangouts aren't unusual but they are "getting a bad rap" because of viral video and negative media coverage.
"The reality is, in so many of these instances, we are sensationalizing teenagers, often lower income children of color, who are taking over, if you will, or visiting gentrified neighborhoods," Henning said. "The focus becomes on the delinquent or criminal activity that takes place."
NPR's Michel Martin and Henning discussed whether "teen takeovers" pose a real threat and what could effectively replace them.
Listen to the full interview by clicking on the play button above.
Destinee Adams wrote the copy for this piece.
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