Juvenile court judges should decide young offenders’ fates

On March 16, Prosecutor Lou Tobin argued against passage of House Bill 500 (HB500), which would end mandatory juvenile bindover. This bill, which has bipartisan support, simply means a juvenile court judge will be allowed to decide which cases should be transferred to adult court and which cases should remain in the juvenile justice system.

Mr. Tobin appears to suggest that if the bill passes, minors would never be sent to adult court for violent offenses. This is false. A juvenile judge would remain obligated to consider each case fully, and decide if a child should be treated as an adult in a particular case or remain in the juvenile system.

Mandatory bindover prevents a judge’s full look to see what consequences should occur and ignores extenuating circumstances that may call for juvenile intervention. It takes away a judge’s best judgment and does not always protect the community. How many young offenders automatically sent to potential imprisonment with adults learn more serious crimes?

Not every kid belongs in adult court. Some can be rehabilitated if they remain in the juvenile system. Let the judges be responsible for a due consideration of who should remain there. Our communities deserve no less.

Ohio should pass HB500.

Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger, Retired, Supreme Court of Ohio