Saturday, January 23, 1999
Taft keeps youth services boss
Natalucci-Persichetti continues 12-year role
BY MICHAEL HAWTHORNE
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS — The longest-serving member of the governor's cabinet is sticking around for the latest version of juvenile justice reform.
In one of two appointments announced Friday, Gov. Bob Taft chose Geno Natalucci-Persichetti to continue directing the state Department of Youth Services (DYS), the agency that oversees the rehabilitation and detention of juvenile criminals.
While many politicians are demanding tougher penalties for young offenders, Mr. Natalucci-Persichetti, 54, remains an advocate of drug treatment and other alternatives for those whose crimes don't involve violence.
“He is widely respected as a progressive director whose focus is on rehabilitating young felons,” Mr. Taft said in a prepared statement.
As Mr. Natalucci-Persichetti embarks on another term, decision-mak ers are on the verge of tinkering with the juvenile justice system again.
Four years ago, the General Assembly made locking up young offenders in adult jails one of their top priorities. “Adult crime means adult time,” became a political mantra.
Now lawmakers are mulling over a bill that would extend the time juveniles can be held by DYS to age 25 from age 21.
Mr. Natalucci-Persichetti, a Columbus native who lives in Pickerington, has served under three governors from two parties. He was first appointed to his post in 1987 by former Democratic Gov. Richard F. Celeste and reappointed by former Republican Gov. George Voinovich.
Under his watch, the average number of juvenile offenders in DYS facilities has dropped to 1,799 from 2,500 in 1992. Many nonviolent youths have been sentenced to community-based programs, which opened up more space in the state facilities for violent offenders.
While attacking juvenile crime remains a top priority for the General Assembly, lawmakers also need to adopt policies that keep teen-agers out of trouble, Mr. Natalucci-Persichetti said.
For instance, he is working with Senate President Richard Finan, R-
Evendale, and Rep. Rose Vesper, R-New Richmond, on proposals to expand the number of alternative schools for chronic truants and students facing expulsion.
“We are as hard as anybody else on violent crime, but we also recognize there are ways to try to keep kids from becoming adult criminals,” Mr. Natalucci-Persichetti said. “You keep putting these kids on the street, and they're going to create havoc and commit crimes.”
Also Friday, Mr. Taft announced the appointment of Samuel W. Speck as director of the state Department of Natural Resources, the agency that, among other duties, oversees state parks and enforces fish and game laws.
Mr. Speck, 61, a Canton native, has been president of Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, since 1988. He served in the Ohio Senate from 1977 to 1983 and the Ohio House from 1971 to 1976.
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