Gov. DeWine and Juvenile Justice Reform

Progress made, more work to be done

Governor Mike DeWine has made juvenile justice reform a priority of his administration. Since taking office, he has signed several bills into law that have made significant changes to the way the state handles juvenile offenders.

These changes include:

• Raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 17 to 18.
• Expanding access to diversion programs for nonviolent offenders.
• Limiting the use of secure confinement for juvenile offenders.

These reforms have been praised by advocates for juvenile justice reform, who say they will help to reduce the number of youth in the justice system and improve outcomes for those who do come into contact with the law.

However, some critics argue that the reforms go too far and will make it more difficult to hold juvenile offenders accountable for their actions.

Despite the criticism, DeWine has remained committed to juvenile justice reform. In his 2020 State of the State address, he said that he would continue to work to improve the state's juvenile justice system. Reforms have been proven to improve outcomes for at-risk youth, and they will continue to be a priority for the administration.

Also in 2020, the state legislature passed Senate Bill 284, which made a number of changes to the juvenile justice system, including:

• Expanding access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for juvenile offenders.
• Providing more opportunities for juveniles to earn a high school diploma or GED.
• Creating a new system for tracking juvenile offenders who are released from secure confinement.

These reforms are a step in the right direction, but more work needs to be done to ensure that all youth in Ohio have the opportunity to succeed.