Juvenile Court Advisory Subcommittee

2079 E 9th St. Cleveland, OH 44115 (Directions)

Cuyahoga County Headquarters, 4th Floor (or watch on YouTube)

The Juvenile Court Advisory Subcommittee is a temporary subcommittee tasked with delivering a report reviewing the juvenile court by Dec. 31, 2024. The subcommittee’s purpose is to evaluate current practices, identify areas for improvement, and make recommendations for enhanced efficiency, improved outcomes, and fiscal responsibility within Cuyahoga County’s Juvenile Justice system. The subcommittee has been charged with conducting a comprehensive review of existing programs, program outcomes, and rates of recidivism – when kids commit new crimes after their initial court case – within Cuyahoga County’s Juvenile Justice system. This review will include:

• Examination of Juvenile Court programming and recidivism: Review of the Juvenile Court’s current programs and their effects on rates of recidivism. An assessment of existing programs and identification of barriers or challenges in the current system.
• Identification of best practices: Research and recommendation of additional programs and best practices, drawn from successful models implemented in other jurisdictions.
• Financial needs and resource assessment: Thorough assessment conducted of the financial resources required to implement recommended changes and improvements. A detailed budget outlining the financial needs associated with proposed reforms.

Documenters: This is our first time covering this meeting, and it’s only the subcommittee’s second meeting, following the inaugural gathering on July 1, 2024. We don’t quite know what to expect, but feel free to lead with your curiosity and note if something doesn’t make sense.

Subcommittee members:

• Ron Adrine, retired Cleveland Municipal Court administrative judge
• Marvin Cross, a former Cleveland police commander who now works as a security consultant
• Former Common Pleas Court Judge Robert McClelland
• Bridget Gibbons, a deputy administrator at the county’s juvenile court
• Jennifer Blumhagen Yarham, executive director at Applewood Centers Inc., a nonprofit that contracts with the county to provide mental health services and residential treatment for children

More background on the subcommittee:

• Don’t waste our time, says advisory panel – a report from The Marshall Project on the subcommittee’s first meeting
• Cuyahoga County committee to examine how justice system is working for kids here – from Signal Cleveland

Committee Clerk: Janine Carter

Watching remotely?

Find livestreams of this meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/@cuyahogacounty/streams

Attending in person?

We add two hours of pay ($36) to the assignment. Complimentary parking for the public is available in the attached garage at 900 Prospect. A skywalk extends from the garage to provide additional entry to the Council Chambers from the 5th floor parking level of the garage. Please see the clerk to obtain a complimentary parking pass. Council Chambers is equipped with a hearing assistance system. If needed, please see the clerk to obtain a receiver.

Find prior Documenters coverage of County Council meetings here.

Check the source website for additional information