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Juvenile Justice Initiative

Voices JJI Applauds Approval Of DYS Class Action Settlement

All parties poised for transformation of Ohio’s juvenile justice system

On May 21, 2008 in Columbus, U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley approved a comprehensive class action settlement reached last month in a suit brought by lawyers for youth in Ohio’s juvenile facilities against the Ohio Department of Youth Services.

Voices for Ohio’s Children, one of the state’s leading child advocacy organizations and convener of the statewide Juvenile Justice Initiative, applauds the court’s swift action and the landmark cooperation of the Department of Youth Services.

“Judge Marbley’s approval of this agreement makes it possible for us to begin real transformation of Ohio’s juvenile justice system,” said Amy N. Swanson, executive director of Voices for Ohio’s Children. “The community-based services, effective mental health treatment and parole reform outlined in this agreement will make our communities safer and help our young people succeed.”

Earlier this year, Voices for Ohio’s Children’s Juvenile Justice Initiative released a report titled “A Model Ohio Department of Youth Services Care Continuum: A Framework for Transforming the Juvenile Justice System.” The framework identifies sixteen attributes of a model ODYS care continuum, including smaller regional facilities, quality behavioral health treatment, family involvement, appropriate education, and strong re-entry efforts. The class action settlement approved today is consistent with the advocacy group’s recommendations.

“We applaud the cooperation of the Ohio Department of Youth Services, the attorneys for the youth in the DYS system, and Judge Marbley,” said Swanson. “Particularly in this economy, moving young people out of juvenile facilities and closing institutions that don’t work is prudent for taxpayers and better for kids and families. We also applaud the leadership of the Ohio General Assembly in including funding in the State Capital Budget and Corrections Bill for the community-based rehabilitative programs proposed in the settlement.”

The class action settlement resolves issues of overcrowding, understaffing, violence, education services, as well as mental health, physical health and other programming issues. Visit Gerhardstein & Branch Co. LPA's website to read the Notice to the Class, the joint Press Release announcing the settlement, and other Documents in S.H. v. Stickrath.