NCJ Number
93152
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 34 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1983-1984) Pages: 3-10
Date Published
1984
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This government-sanctioned study of the impact of Ohio legislation to reduce the institutionalization of juveniles and to expand nonsecure community-based services indicates that the major objectives of the legislation have been achieved.
Abstract
The Ohio legislation Substitute H.B. 440 was designed to assist counties in developing prevention, diversion, and correctional youth services that would help keep nonserious juvenile offenders in the community. The aim was also to reduce judicial commitments to the Department of Youth Services (DYS) through a program of financial assistance to local juvenile courts so that they could develop alternative programs for juvenile offenders. In addition, coordination was to be improved among the components of the juvenile justice system in the planning and delivering of local juvenile justice as well as, between DYS and local juvenile courts and among other components of the youth-serving system. The in-depth evaluation and survey of all Ohio counties strongly supports the finding that such objectives have been attained. Specific types of programs funded under the legislation are home advocacy services, shelter care, residential or group home services, transportation to a juvenile detention facility if the county has no such facility, probation development, law enforcement and foster care services, nonresidential and at-risk programs, innovative probation services, diagnostic and clinical services, alternative education and employment or vocational training, and such other insecure services as are approved by DYS. Eighty-seven counties participated in the program in fiscal 1982-83, and the reminaing has indicated its intention to participate in fiscal 1983-84. Tabular and graphic data are provided.