Bill > SB270

This bill modifies Ohio's juvenile justice laws regarding the commitment of delinquent children to the Department of Youth Services, primarily raising the minimum age for commitment from ten to fourteen years old. The bill revises several sections of the Ohio Revised Code to establish new guidelines for committing children to youth services, including more specific provisions about the length and conditions of commitment for different types of offenses. Key changes include creating more nuanced categories for commitment based on the severity of the offense, adjusting the minimum and maximum periods of institutionalization, and providing clearer procedures for judicial release and supervised release. The bill also specifies that children can only be committed to youth services if they are fourteen years of age or older when they commit an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult, with exceptions for certain serious offenses. Additionally, the bill outlines more detailed processes for how the Department of Youth Services can release children, review their cases, and manage their rehabilitation, with an emphasis on balancing the welfare of the child with public safety considerations.

Justice

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/sb270