How the community is coming together to fight juvenile crime
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Following the first meeting of the Ohio Juvenile Justice Working Group, we’re taking a closer look at the rise in youths finding themselves involved in crimes. We know that numbers are up in detention centers across Ohio and staffing numbers are down.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said that the way the system is now isn’t working for everybody. He believes that the community should come together and have a discussion on what the juvenile justice system should look like because it’s alarming how violent some of these youth centers can be.
Klein said there needs to be a proactive and reactive approach.
“I think the proactive approach is how can we identify the kids most at risk, get them on the path before they make really serious, dangerous criminal decisions that threaten their lives and the lives of others,” Klein said. “That’s where investment and community advocacy groups and our education system and job and the specific job placement programs need to focus and give these kids an opportunity for success.”
As for the reactive approach, Klein said we have to accept the fact that some kids have made bad decisions and they’re a danger to themselves and others.
“We have to look to the future, but we also have to deal with the present now,” he said.
According to Klein, juvenile justice is about rehabilitation, adding that the system is working for a majority of kids, but there is a small percentage who fall through the cracks and end up hurting someone or getting hurt themselves.
“The last thing we want to do is put a kid in a situation where it actually makes them a more hardened criminal, more dangerous, and strays away from rehabilitation to give these kids a fighting shot to be successful in their lives,” Klein said.
Sean Stevenson, the founder of End the Violence, said children these days aren’t getting the attention they need.
“They’re not getting the love that they need because if parents were more involved, they would know what their kid is doing and know the thoughts of the child because you sat down and had those discussions,” Stevenson said.
Leaders say that the community needs to come together if we want to stop this cycle of youth violence. NBC4 spoke with individuals who have personal experiences with the court system and have children of their own.
“What we need to do is talk to the kids, sit down and show them a better way to, you know, handle things and be a parent to them,” one individual said. Another added, “You can’t prosper if you keep getting hit with a roadblock and your kids see you struggle and go through stuff like that. It’s like a revolving door, that’s all they know. My mom’s struggling, my dad’s struggling, we need stuff and we can’t get it. So, they try to get out there and get it as best as they can.”
Both individuals are involved with the group End the Violence, which works to engage youth and adults in healthy, safe activities.
Stevenson added that to curb the violence, things need to be in place for youth, whether that be a job or just having a family member or guardian check in on them regularly.
While Franklin County has the resources, Klein said we should also be on the lookout for additional ways to help get these kids on a better path.
“But we have to accept that some kids have really tough circumstances that they're brought up in; very challenging ones,” he said. “And so, like, how can we support parents or the children services system? How can we continue to improve our education system? How when they do make mistakes and they find themselves in the juvenile justice system, can it be more real to rehabilitate and focus so they're not in a dangerous, unsafe environment in juvie and a juvenile justice system.”
Again, he believes that in order for change to happen, the community needs to come together and figure out the best way to approach youth violence because it affects the community.