Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Public defenders tell Cuyahoga County subcommittee youth need treatment and supports, not routine transfer to adult court
Summary
Ohio Public Defender staff told a Cuyahoga County council subcommittee that many youths reaching the "deep end" have untreated trauma, unstable housing and serious mental-health needs; they urged more diversion, credible messengers and sustained front‑end funding to reduce bindovers and improve outcomes.
Brooke Burns, who represents the Office of the Ohio Public Defender’s youth work, told a Cuyahoga County council subcommittee that many young people who enter the deepest levels of the juvenile system have complex and untreated needs rather than simple criminal intent. “We are kind of a one‑stop shop for all things youth justice,” Burns said, describing the state office’s role in appeals, post‑conviction work and training for juvenile defense counsel across Ohio.
County public defenders and social workers described multiple case examples to illustrate their point. Kenyatta Johnson, a social worker in the public defender’s youth-and-parent division, recounted a young man with documented lead exposure, an IQ of about 70 and multiple mental‑health diagnoses who nevertheless…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
