Friday, March 10, 2000
Police targeting problem youths
Goal: Control parolees, probationers
BY JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — During each eight-hour shift, police typically get about a dozen complaints involving juveniles making trouble — and often, police could do little more than shoo the youths away, says Sgt. Jim Malone, juvenile investigations supervisor.
But now, thanks to a new program that pairs a police officer with a juvenile court field supervision officer, the chances of taking problem youths off the streets are improving, Sgt. Malone said.
The program, which began March 3 with the help of a federal grant to pay for officers' overtime, has been successful in a number of cities, Sgt. Malone said. He said $33,000 is going to pay overtime costs.
The program involves checking to ensure that youths who are on probation or parole are following the rules.
“Expect a different level of enforcement,” Police Chief Neil Ferdelman said.
Randomly and unannounced, teams of police and juvenile court probation officers fan out.
The patrol targets areas where youths gather, to make sure probationers aren't hanging out with the wrong crowd, violating curfew or stirring up trouble.
At one such spot — Heaton and Greenwood avenues in the city's north end — a team Sunday checked on seven youths and found all of them had been convicted of offenses, Sgt. Malone said. Several were taken into custody to face additional charges.
The teams also show up at homes of offenders who are supposed to be under house arrest — and if the juvenile isn't where he's supposed to be, he'll face additional charges and his parents will be charged, too, Sgt. Malone said. Sometimes the teams will revisit the same house several times in the same night to ensure compliance, Sgt. Malone said.
“It's very much our mission to hold probationers accountable,” said Rob Clevenger, director of the Butler County Juvenile Court.
The court's detention center, which has 18 beds, often hasn't had the space to house offenders who were caught breaking the rules. But the court is adding 48 beds — which could become available today — allowing more room for those the enforcement teams catch, Mr. Clevenger said. About 400 youths are on probation or parole in Hamilton, officials said.
Pairing the officials from the juvenile court with a police officer offers advantages to both. Police protect the probation officials and can arrest adults who try to interfere, Sgt. Malone said. And probation officers provide police with case history information and mug shots of offenders.
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