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Court News Ohio
Ohio Awards
$1.6 Million to Juvenile Courts for Detention Alternatives and Security
Enhancements
May 24, 2016
In an effort to reserve detention placement for certain youth, address
challenges of troubled youth early, and improve detention services and
conditions of confinement, the Ohio Department of Youth Services
recently announced $1,628,804 in funding to assist 23 counties through
the agency’s new Detention Alternatives and Enhancements Initiative.
The funds will benefit more than 5,000 youth in Allen, Ashtabula,
Champaign, Clermont, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Fairfield,
Franklin, Guernsey, Jefferson, Knox, Lorain, Lucas, Madison, Marion,
Montgomery, Muskingum, Summit, Trumbull, Union, Warren, and Wayne
counties.
Implementation grants will help fund physical plant enhancements as
well as expand alternatives to secure detention, services, and supports
provided within the facilities. Alternatives will divert an estimated
800 youth from secure detention through June 2017, with the development
of evening assessment and reporting centers, crisis shelters, respite
services, and increased use of electronic monitoring. Just under
$400,000 of the $1.6 million has been earmarked to provide much-needed
physical plant improvements to boost safety and security at the
facilities.
Fairfield County Juvenile Court Judge Terre L. Vandervoort is excited
to use funding to develop a day/evening reporting center as a detention
alternative.
“This will strike the right balance in protecting the community,
holding youth accountable, and providing skills and competencies young
people need to succeed in the future,” Judge Vandervoort said. “Youth
served by alternatives will be able to maintain educational progress,
continue employment, receive monitoring during high risk afternoon and
evening hours, and benefit from programs and services to address their
needs.”
The court estimates the new reporting center will serve 250 youth and
result in a savings of more than $300,000 annually.
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