County taking on new initiative to divert delinquents from incarceration
ASHTABULA — The county Juvenile Court in Ashtabula now has a new destination for low-risk delinquents, aside from a police station or the Youth Detention Center.
Court officials said they hope the nationwide Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, or JDAI, joined this year by Ashtabula and Warren counties, will mean quicker and more impactful interventions for young offenders.
On Monday, they showcased their plans to divert non-violent juveniles away from the criminal justice system and unveiled a new resource center — a long-vacant space in the basement of the Ashtabula Municipal Building — which now houses three of the court's probation and diversion officers.
