Section 5139.11. Prevention and control of juvenile delinquency

The department of youth services shall do all of the following:

(A) Through a program of education, promotion, and organization, form groups of local citizens and assist these groups in conducting activities aimed at the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency, making use of local people and resources for the following purposes:

(1) Combatting local conditions known to contribute to juvenile delinquency;

(2) Developing recreational and other programs for youth work;

(3) Providing adult sponsors for delinquent children cases;

(4) Dealing with other related problems of the locality.

(B) Advise local, state, and federal officials, public and private agencies, and lay groups on the needs for and possible methods of the reduction and prevention of juvenile delinquency and the treatment of delinquent children;

(C) Consult with the schools and courts of this state on the development of programs for the reduction and prevention of delinquency and the treatment of delinquents;

(D) Cooperate with other agencies whose services deal with the care and treatment of delinquent children to the end that delinquent children who are state wards may be assisted whenever possible to a successful adjustment outside of institutional care;

(E) Cooperate with other agencies in surveying, developing, and utilizing the recreational resources of a community as a means of combatting the problem of juvenile delinquency and effectuating rehabilitation;

(F) Hold district and state conferences from time to time in order to acquaint the public with current problems of juvenile delinquency and develop a sense of civic responsibility toward the prevention of juvenile delinquency;

(G) Assemble and distribute information relating to juvenile delinquency and report on studies relating to community conditions that affect the problem of juvenile delinquency;

(H) Assist any community within the state by conducting a comprehensive survey of the community's available public and private resources, and recommend methods of establishing a community program for combatting juvenile delinquency and crime, but no survey of that type shall be conducted unless local individuals and groups request it through their local authorities, and no request of that type shall be interpreted as binding the community to following the recommendations made as a result of the request;

(I) Evaluate the rehabilitation of children committed to the department and prepare and submit periodic reports to the committing court for the following purposes:

(1) Evaluating the effectiveness of institutional treatment;

(2) Making recommendations for judicial release under section 2152.22 of the Revised Code if appropriate and recommending conditions for judicial release;

(3) Reviewing the placement of children and recommending alternative placements where appropriate.

(J) Coordinate dates for hearings to be conducted under section 2152.22 of the Revised Code and assist in the transfer and release of children from institutionalization to the custody of the committing court;

(K)

(1) Coordinate and assist juvenile justice systems by doing the following:

(a) Performing juvenile justice system planning in the state, including any planning that is required by any federal law;

(b) Collecting, analyzing, and correlating information and data concerning the juvenile justice system in the state;

(c) Cooperating with and providing technical assistance to state departments, administrative planning districts, metropolitan county criminal justice services agencies, criminal justice coordinating councils, and agencies, offices, and departments of the juvenile justice system in the state, and other appropriate organizations and persons;

(d) Encouraging and assisting agencies, offices, and departments of the juvenile justice system in the state and other appropriate organizations and persons to solve problems that relate to the duties of the department;

(e) Administering within the state any juvenile justice acts and programs that the governor requires the department to administer;

(f) Implementing the state comprehensive plans;

(g) Visiting and inspecting jails, detention facilities, correctional facilities, facilities that may hold juveniles involuntarily, or any other facility that may temporarily house juveniles on a voluntary or involuntary basis for the purpose of compliance pursuant to the "Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974," 88 Stat. 1109, as amended;

(h) Auditing grant activities of agencies, offices, organizations, and persons that are financed in whole or in part by funds granted through the department;

(i) Monitoring or evaluating the performance of juvenile justice system projects and programs in the state that are financed in whole or in part by funds granted through the department;

(j) Applying for, allocating, disbursing, and accounting for grants that are made available pursuant to federal juvenile justice acts, or made available from other federal, state, or private sources, to improve the criminal and juvenile justice systems in the state. All money from federal juvenile justice act grants shall, if the terms under which the money is received require that the money be deposited into an interest bearing fund or account, be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the federal juvenile justice program purposes fund, which is hereby created. All investment earnings shall be credited to the fund.

(k) Contracting with federal, state, and local agencies, foundations, corporations, businesses, and persons when necessary to carry out the duties of the department;

(l) Overseeing the activities of metropolitan county criminal justice services agencies, administrative planning districts, and juvenile justice coordinating councils in the state;

(m) Advising the general assembly and governor on legislation and other significant matters that pertain to the improvement and reform of the juvenile justice system in the state;

(n) Preparing and recommending legislation to the general assembly and governor for the improvement of the juvenile justice system in the state;

(o) Assisting, advising, and making any reports that are required by the governor, attorney general, or general assembly;

(p) Adopting rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(2) Division (K)(1) of this section does not limit the discretion or authority of the attorney general with respect to crime victim assistance and criminal and juvenile justice programs.

(3) Nothing in division (K)(1) of this section is intended to diminish or alter the status of the office of the attorney general as a criminal justice services agency.

(4) The governor may appoint any advisory committees to assist the department that the governor considers appropriate or that are required under any state or federal law.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 01-01-2002