Columbus police are turning their focus to 2024 after a year that saw a rise in homicides, felonious assaults and several other crime statistics it hopes to curb this year.
One of those focuses is on juvenile crime and finding proactive ways to prevent and discourage people under the age of 21 from committing crime and falling into the juvenile justice system.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant and other police officials reviewed crime statistics for 2023 and one trend stood out.
The numbers of people age 21 and under who were suspected of felonious assault increased 33% from 2022 to almost 550 people in 2023. The number of victims under the age of 21 also increased. The city also saw increases in the number of firearms seized by police and a larger number of homicides related to domestic violence.
Bryant and Ginther told reporters police are focusing on being proactive to prevent young people from committing crimes and entering the juvenile justice system.
"We don't want to see them in the system at all," Bryant said. "So we work with a lot of community groups to be able to provide them jobs, to be able to look at it from a holistic approach. Is there something with the families that's going on, domestic violence? What can we do to put these families in a better situation to prevent those kids from getting in the system in the first place."
Bryant said these proactive approaches come in the form of youth programming, sports leagues and other activities to keep children engaged in the community.
Ginther echoed what Bryant said and suggested parents need to step up to control their children. He also suggested juvenile court judges have a role to play in bringing down youth crime levels.
"We need parents, faith leaders and other folks to step up. And our judges, I don't think ankle monitors are an appropriate response to violent crime. And so we need our judges working with us," Ginther said.
Ginther said the city is working with judges to better learn how juvenile crime has changed in recent years. He said the city doesn't want to lock offenders up and throw away the key for young people who shoplift.
Ginther also said more serious and violent crimes and those crimes involving guns need to be dealt with effectively or else violence could escalate.
"What we're seeing acted out by young people, carried out by young people in this community and quite honestly, in cities all across the country, requires a different response," Ginther said.
