Youth Justice

The ACLU of Ohio believes all young people have the capacity to change and realize their fullest potential. Children and youth who are at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile court system should be provided with effective prevention, treatment and care that is provided through authentic relational supports. Rather than responding to youth crime with outdated and ineffective “tough-on-crime” approaches that criminalize adolescence, our public leaders – at the state, city, and county level -- must work in partnership to ensure our youth are given ample opportunities to heal from their own trauma and be a positive part of our community through meaningful connections.

Read more about our current youth justice priorities in the Ohio General Assembly on our Legislative Priorities page.

The ACLU of Ohio was also part of the Greater CLE Youth Justice Collective, along with partners at the Children’s Law Center and the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University, working to improve the lives and outcomes for Cuyahoga County youth who were at risk of entering the criminal legal system.

Highlights from the Greater CLE Youth Justice Collective

• Webinar: The Stories We Tell About our Youth: Separating Fact from Fiction
• Greater CLE Youth Justice Collective Video Series on Delinquent
• Letter and Recommendations for Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Advisory Subcommittee (10/25/2024)
• Amplifying Youth Voice: Focus Groups One-Pager
• Greater CLE Youth Justice Collective: Amplifying Youth Voice Presentation
• (Presented to the Cuyahoga County Council on 3/20/2025)