Putting a Face on Every Child: Ohio’s Juvenile Justice Reforms

Ohio, like many other states, mirrored its juvenile system on the adult criminal justice system. Mandatory sentencing laws accompanied that decision, obligating judges to give out fixed sentences without regard to the crime involved, safety risks, or the youth’s capacities. This video highlights how mandatory get-tough-on crime laws continue to fail Ohio’s youth resulting in low and moderate risk kids incarcerated for lengthy sentences in large, warehouse-like facilities far from home and not resourced to respond to individual needs.

Working with the Media: Tips for Juvenile Justice Professionals

The media is a powerful conduit through which to disseminate information about the juvenile justice system, especially to the public. It is imperative for those working in the juvenile justice arena to be prepared to respond to questions from reporters, help educate the media about the challenges and successes of the system, and have a communications plan in the event of a crisis. It is also important to know how to sell story ideas and respond to stories that contain inaccuracies or messages that run counter to best practices and current research.

Ohio Youth Prosecuted as Adults, Making the Case for Reform

This webcast will review the research on the impact of the adult system on youth and highlight what states are doing to reduce or eliminate youths’ exposure to the adult criminal justice system. Faculty will concentrate on Ohio where more than 300 youth each year become involved in the adult criminal justice. They will discuss data and findings of a recent information gathering effort undertaken to look at how Ohio youth are bound over to the adult system and the resulting outcomes for those youth.