Had to go back a bit for this one

Had to go back a bit for this one...

But I remembered (and have to blog about) seeing the story of the 14-year-old witness being jailed, without benefit of a hearing, in order to insure her appearance in court. The girl had previously run away to avoid having to testify against her alleged molester. She wound up in an adult jail because a juvenile judge said she couldn't be held in a juvenile detention facility without being charged with a crime. The Ohio 9th District Court of Appeals overturned the Common Pleas Judge's decision.

The decision to free her was written by appellate Judge Lynn Slaby, who said case law was so clear, no further hearings were necessary to reach a decision. Slaby said the girl was being illegally held in an adult jail and should have been given a hearing before she was sent to jail.
source

The alleged molester was ultimately acquitted of the charge of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

On the witness stand...the girl admitted lying about her age to the defendant as well as to others. She said she told people she was 16 or 17 years old. She also acknowledged that she had at other times lied about what happened inside her Norton home.

Appointed counsel in Juvenile Court

A Salem woman trying to regain custody of her children asked an appeals court to order Juvenile Court Judge Thomas Baronzzi to appoint counsel to represent her, at county expense.

It's just the way Ohio is set up

Here is a relatively interesting read about child support and "the court system" in Ohio. I find the push-pull viewpoints to be quite sad. But it is typical of the "that's just the way it is" attitude I see in local and state government.

Re-entry Roadmap: A 25 Point Strategy Toward Restoration

Ohio Department of Youth Services to undergo changes for "juvenile parolees."

The state's juvenile prisons are trying to develop a better way to prepare youths for life after their release because about half are locked up again within three years.

Providing the youths more job training, help finding employment and mentors to offer advice are among the planned changes at the Department of Youth Services, according to a report released Monday.

Snarky comment to follow...
You mean you can't just turn a juvenile offender loose and expect them to magically turn into a good citizen?!?!?! I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you!

Oh...and my favorite headline..."
State to try new ideas to reduce youth prison recidivism."
REALLY? NEW ideas?!?!?! Again, I'm shocked!!!
End of snarky comment.

I'm back, part deux

OK...going to give this academic blogging one more try. It should give my brain some exercise away from the emotional junk that fills it up most of the time. Watch out blawgers...I'm back (again)!