Ohio Lawmaker wants to introduce legislation to address juvenile crime spike

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Could a state-sanctioned juvenile rehabilitation program be to blame for Ohio’s drastic jump in juvenile crime? 19 Investigates spent the past year tracking the crime trends, learning more about the RECLAIM program, and went to Columbus to see if lawmakers believe it needs some tweaks.

In an interview with 19 Investigates last August Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley last year he put the state’s RECLAIM program on blast.

“If there was a financial consideration in sentencing adults, I think there would be a public outcry as to how inappropriate that is,” O’Malley said.

The program was created to keep kids out of juvy. Instead, it funds alternative rehabilitation programs including a pre-trial monitoring program where teens are released on ankle monitors. Still, an ankle monitor didn’t stop a 17-year-old from pointing a gun at Lakisha Trull right in front of her kids.

“I feared for my life, and I was just trying with all my heart to stay as calm as possible for the kids,” Trull said.

The conversation started after 19 Investigates discovered the 18-year-old convicted of murdering an off-duty Cleveland police officer had started committing violent crimes at 14 years old. Court records revealed a pattern, time after time the teen was released on community control.

“She was turned loose on the streets because if the judge in Lorain County sentenced her to the Ohio Department of Youth Services on an ag robbery, even with a gun, they would have lost money,” O’Malley told 19 Investigates.

There are exceptions to RECLAIM. Juveniles who commit crimes like murder and rape are not eligible for reclaim. But kids who commit crimes like aggravated robberies and shootings are allowed to participate.

To change RECLAIM the state legislature would have to step in. 19 Investigates spoke with Senator Nathan Manning and Representative Sean Brennan.

“It’s a huge concern especially when you’re seeing juveniles let out on RECLAIM with an ankle monitor and then committing more offenses while they’re still under supervision,” said State Senator Manning.

Governor Mike DeWine appointed Senator Manning to the juvenile justice working group in December. Manning said they have been looking at ways to make case information more readily available to judges across counties.

“I’m hoping that judges aren’t making these decisions based on financial reasons, but I’m a realist, I understand, these programs cost money, incarcerating somebody costs money,” Manning said. “So, we’ll take a look at the funding mechanism and maybe, you know, looking at those aggravated robberies, aggravated burglaries, definitely gun specs.”

Manning said he would consider proposing legislation to change the program.

“For the most part has been overwhelmingly successful, but there has been an increase in violent offenses, kids that are, you know, in the RECLAIM program. So clearly, it’s not working as intended in certain situations,” Manning explained.

A 2022 study by RECLAIM’s advisory board found no evidence RECLAIM had a negative impact on public safety.

According to the study, between 2010 and 2020 there was a 40% decrease in juveniles arrested for robbery and weapons crimes and there was a nearly 40% decrease in the number of teens locked up.

Ohio State Representative Sean Brennan said he would like to introduce legislation so that juveniles who commit violent robberies and shootings would be exempt from RECLAIM.

“Yeah, well, I mean, it’s got to happen quickly,” said Representative Brennan. “However, there are 99 members of the Ohio House and 33 members of the Ohio Senate, and there’s a governor, of course, so, and this is a very serious thing but, you know, if we want safer communities, any safety bill should be a priority.”

19 requested emails between Cuyahoga County juvenile court judges and staff discussing RECLAIM funding. In one email the court’s grant improvement specialist Melisa McDaniel informs Administrative Juvenile Court Judge Thomas O’Malley that due to increased ODYS admissions, their RECLAIM funds went from $1.7 million to $290 thousand, which she called a major decrease and said she hopes the trend will not continue.

19 investigates requested an on-camera interview with Judge Thomas O’Malley about these emails and reclaim in general but he declined our request, as did all the other Cuyahoga County juvenile court judges.