CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio -
19 Investigates discovered the teens who tried to carjack the Cleveland mom had been on a violent crime spree and at least one of the kids was wearing an ankle monitor when he pointed a gun in Trull’s face. “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 in an August 2023 interview.
If a juvenile court can keep its youth prison population down they receive more RECLAIM funding. The money is used to fund community-based alternative rehabilitation programs. “I absolutely think it needs to change,” said Ohio State Representative Sean Brennan. “In fact, I’ve talked to prosecutor O’Malley about this several times. I appreciate your reporting on it.”
“I think word has gotten out to many of these young people, that they’re not going to be incarcerated, that they’re not going to be held accountable for these heinous crimes,” Brennan said.From 2017 through 2019, 81% of juvenile offenders successfully completed the state’s juvenile diversion program. 79% of them had fewer interactions with police while in the program.