Youth arrests and violent crime are down, but other trends point to need for new policy approaches

Crime, violence and victimization remain pressing challenges for communities across the Midwest.

The takeaway for lawmakers who took part in a July session of The Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Conference Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee: Significant strides can be made in reducing crime and enhancing public safety, if we follow lessons of the past, allow data to drive decisions, and invest in evidence-based practices.

“It is important for policymakers to prioritize strategies around addressing violence, but not to discard what we’ve learned over the last couple of decades about effectively reducing crime and improving lives,” said Josh Weber, a deputy division director at the CSG Justice Center who oversees its work on juvenile justice.

Weber, along with his colleague Deputy Program Director Madeleine Dardeau, gave a presentation that also incorporated insights from Amy Ast, director of Ohio’s Department of Youth Services, and Roger Wilson, deputy director of Ohio’s Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Youth trends and successes

Nationwide, youth arrests for violent crimes are at historically low levels. However, states have been experiencing rising homicide rates in youth, particularly those involving firearms. Youth violence can often be a byproduct of mental health challenges and trauma. Alarmingly, a substantial proportion of young people entering the juvenile justice system struggle with behavioral health issues, and short-staffed public agencies and service providers are having difficulty addressing these needs.

Research shows, too, that involvement in the justice system often does more harm than good when trying to reduce violence and improve behavioral health. Yet many states are responding with more punitive approaches.

Most youth involved in the juvenile justice system have committed relatively minor offenses. Further, less than 30 percent of youths referred to court have their cases adjudicated, suggesting that system involvement could have been avoided in the first place if service alternatives were more readily available.

Additionally, racial disparities highlight the critical need for robust support systems: In 2020-21, Black youth were two-and-a-half times more likely to be arrested than their White counterparts.

What’s needed, Weber said, is a commitment to develop a statewide adolescent services and violence prevention strategy. Juvenile justice systems should focus their limited resources on the small number of youth who pose a public safety risk and on proven recidivism-reduction strategies.

Lastly, he said, it is vital for states to address gaps in the workforce capacity of public agencies and service providers.

Ohio serves as a success story in some of these areas. According to Ast, through initiatives like Reclaim Ohio, the state provides financial incentives for local courts to reduce reliance on the justice system and incarceration. Low- and moderate-risk youth are being successfully diverted to community-based interventions.

“[The] focus on prevention and engagement with families has led to a remarkable 86 percent of youth successfully reintegrating into their communities without reoffending, highlighting the importance of investing in their potential,” she said.

Adult trends and opportunities

The MLC panel also pointed a way forward for addressing public concerns about adult violent crime. Polling data indicates that 78 percent of the public believes crime has increased, while only 17 percent expresses high trust in the criminal justice system. In reality, despite a recent spike in 2020, the violent crime rate was lower in 2022 than in 2012.

However, in 2022, 63 percent of reported violent crimes remained unsolved, fostering concerns about safety, justice and law enforcement. And homicides involving victims from historically marginalized groups are more likely to go unsolved.

How can policymakers tackle these racial disparities and obstacles related to unsolved violent crime? Bolster law enforcement’s capacity to solve violent crimes. Identify evidence-based crime prevention strategies and then invest in areas most impacted by violence. Set statewide recidivism-reduction goals. Strengthen supports for crime victims. Improve justice-related data collection, analysis and reporting.

Those were some of the policy ideas explored during the session.

Ohio’s Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has established a comprehensive risk-assessment process to identify individuals most likely to commit violent crimes. It then provides enhanced community supervision to this group. Wilson emphasized the importance of collaboration with law enforcement and community organizations in delivering a unified message: “We will do everything in our power to help you live a productive life, but we will not tolerate criminal behavior.”

Article written by CSG Justice Center policy analyst Myles Moore.