NCJ Number
86612
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 33 Issue: 3 Dated: (August 1982) Pages: 3-21
Date Published
1982
Length
19 pages
Annotation
The effects of Ohio's 1981 juvenile justice legislation are discussed. The legislation reorganized the State's priorities in dealing with the deinstitutionalization of minor and status offenders, protection of the public against serious juvenile offenders, and the development of local resources for juveniles.
Abstract
Prior to the passage of the 1981 juvenile justice legislation (H.B. 440), the Ohio Youth Commission (OYC), an executive governmental agency, had become a delegated administrative body superseding the judicial branch of government in the control of the dispositional alternative of institutional commitment. This was accomplished by the development of direct community placement programs for juvenile offenders. This placement program determined whether a juvenile was institutionalized or placed in the community. No legislative guidelines for such decisionmaking were provided. H.B. 440 eliminates court commitments of status offenders and minor and major misdemeanants to the OYC. These offenders are dealt with in the community with the assistance of the Youth Services Grant Subsidy. The legislation also eliminates temporary commitment and bind-over transfer requests for diagnostic evaluations from the OYC; these services will be offered in the community. Permanent custody commitments are made to the OYC only if the juvenile has committed an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult. The legislation also eliminates the OYC placement program and transfers this responsibility to local courts, with the assistance of the Youth Services Subsidy Grant. The aftercare program of the OYC is retained, with the monitoring and supervision of the program transferred to local courts under the supervisory personnel of OYC. A summary of the legislation is provided.