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Ohio’s Juvenile Prisons Model For Others
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A new report says Ohio’s juvenile prison system has become a model for others a quarter-century after it was on the brink of crisis.
The Juvenile Justice Coalition report released Monday notes that the state dramatically decreased the number of young people behind bars and saved taxpayers millions of dollars through the use of alternative programs.
The Columbus-based nonprofit says Ohio’s juvenile prison system was far over the intended capacity in the early 1990s, with nearly 2,500 juveniles in correctional facilities. Now there are fewer than 500 in Ohio’s youth prisons.
The nonprofit group’s executive director, Erin Davies, says there is still room for improvement and Ohio should embrace programs that give communities and families the best shot at success.