The juvenile delinquent closed her eyes and swayed, lifting her arms to better worship.

        The Rev. Billy Graham's jail mission kicked off Saturday in the gym of the Hamilton County Juvenile Court Youth Center, 2020 Auburn Ave., better known as “2020,” where this young girl and half of the facility's teenage population prayed together.

        The audience of 71 youths was moved by the urgings of Jimmy Mamou, a professional California-based musician who once jammed with Jimi Hendrix, and Brent Smith, a professional horse breaker from Nevada, who told the inmates to take stock of their lives and turn them around through Christ.

        “Why are you here? Why were you born? Where are you going? You have a great future ahead of you. Your life is just beginning now,” said Mr. Mamou, who spent years abusing marijuana and PCP before turning to religion.

        Saturday's visit kicked off the Rev. Mr. Graham's week-long mission project at area jails.

        Mr. Mamou, Mr. Smith and Ralph Bell, one of the Rev. Mr. Graham's key evangelistic team members, will visit at least 10 facilities, including the Boone County Work Camp, Hillcrest Training School and Lebanon Correctional Institution.

        Hamilton County Judge Sylvia Sieve Hendon also visited 2020 Saturday. She said she was impressed to see so many teens attend because it wasn't mandatory.

SPECIAL SECTION

• THE MAN, HIS MISSION

        The youth center houses 11- to 17-year-old youngsters who have been sentenced for charges ranging from running away to attempting to kill someone. Many come from broken homes and live in impoverished neighborhoods, Judge Hendon noted.

        But “there is very little that you can expose a child to that is wholesome and worthwhile that isn't going to have a good effect,” she said.

        Some teens seemed bored and restless at the start of Saturday's program. But they livened up, often laughing and applauding, especially when Mr. Mamou began interspersing his presentation with some bluesy riffs on an electric guitar.

        The youths could connect with Mr. Mamou's tales of drug use and Mr. Smith's experiences with state psychiatrists. Mr. Smith received his first electroshock treatment at age 13 when doctors diagnosed him to have psychopathic, violent behavior.

        Time will tell how well their message was received, said Dwayne Bowman, the facility's deputy superintendent.

        “It really takes different people to reach different kids,” he said. “Some kids come for the message. Some may have come for the music. (But) any time you have something positive that gets back in a kid's psyche, most of it's going to have a positive influence.”

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