Ohio to Make Changes to Juvenile Justice System After Receiving Dozens of Recommendations
A Task Force Was Formed to Review the State's Juvenile Justice System
In 2021, The Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 126 which required the formation of a task force to look at the state's juvenile justice system, and issue recommendations. The resulting 155-page report has made dozens of recommendations. These will now be reviewed by the state legislature, to determine if and how they will make changes to Ohio's juvenile justice system.
The Task Force Made 7 Recommendations in 6 Key Areas
The 77-member task force spent over a year studying the juvenile justice system in Ohio, and made 76 recommendations. These recommendations fell into 6 key areas:
- Prevention: The task force recommended increasing funding for early childhood education and other programs that have been shown to reduce the likelihood of a child entering the juvenile justice system.
- Diversion: The task force recommended expanding the use of diversion programs, which allow children to avoid the formal juvenile justice system.
- Treatment: The task force recommended increasing funding for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs for children in the juvenile justice system.
- Rehabilitation: The task force recommended improving educational and vocational training programs for children in the juvenile justice system.
- Reentry: The task force recommended providing more support to children who are returning home from the juvenile justice system.
- System Improvement: The task force recommended making a number of changes to the juvenile justice system, including raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 18 to 21.
The State Legislature Will Now Review the Recommendations
The Ohio General Assembly will now review the task force's recommendations. It is unclear at this time which, if any, of the recommendations the legislature will adopt. However, the task force's report is a valuable resource for legislators and other stakeholders who are interested in improving the juvenile justice system in Ohio.
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