A new report says there’s limited information about what happens to the thousands of juveniles who end up in Ohio’s justice system.
The group behind the report, the Juvenile Justice Coalition of Ohio, and the state both says the current system is lacking.
The justice coalition says few of the state’s 88 counties keep comprehensive data on the juveniles who pass through their doors. State law requires each court to make publicly-available reports on their cases, but the justice coalition says fewer than half of the courts contacted were able to produce a report.
The state says it’s working with local courts and other stakeholders to create a statewide reporting system. A Department of Youth Services spokeswoman says DYS already has what it calls the Ohio Youth Assessment System to help local courts determine best practices, but the system is optional.
