An investigation of Ohio's juvenile prison system by The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Columbus Dispatch, Akron Beacon Journal, Canton Repository and other Ohio newspapers has been named a finalist for the prestigious Scripps Howard Journalism Award for Local/Regional Investigative Reporting.
During an eight-month investigation, lead by USA TODAY Ohio Bureau Reporter Laura Bischoff, journalists talked one teen who was left paralyzed after an altercation behind bars, guards who were attacked and left with serious health issues and family members whose children did not come home.
The investigation uncovered that employees and kids are injured − sometimes seriously − in fights and assaults that erupt without warning. Guards struggle to keep order and are often dealing with children they cannot control. Within three years of leaving a state youth prison, four in 10 teens are incarcerated again in either the juvenile or adult system. And those who don't return to prison face a higher likelihood of dying an early death.
“The journalism produced by this year’s finalists exposed wrongdoing, held the powerful accountable, shaped policies and helped correct historical records,” said Meredith Delaney, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund.
Just days after publication of the newspapers' investigation, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine launched a task force to examine the Department of Youth Services and the state's juvenile justice system.
The governor praised the newspapers' investigation, saying it shows there is work to be done. "You've highlighted some very horribly tragic stories that I think anybody can relate to. It's now time for a reset, or a re-look, at DYS and the whole system."
Just weeks into the mission, the working group made an early recommendation that Ohio close its large youth prisons and replace them with smaller facilities.
Nine months after the newspapers' investigation published, the Juvenile Justice Working Group issued a report with 26 recommendations to to the governor.
The report said Ohio should stop sending nonviolent first-time offenders and children under age 14 to the state's youth prisons and give juvenile court judges more discretion on how to handle kids caught with guns.
Read the full report: Find a summary and link to each part of our investigation into Ohio's youth detention facilities
[ Reporters with USA Today’s network of Ohio newspapers spent eight months investigating the state's juvenile justice system. Consider supporting their work with a subscription . ]
The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards judges – a panel of veteran journalists and media leaders – selected this year’s finalists from 775 entries across 14 categories.
The winners will be announced on Oct. 20.
Our team
Reporters: Laura Bischoff, Amanda Garrett, Kevin Grasha, Amy Knapp, Cameron Knight and Jordan Laird.
Visual journalists: Courtney Hergesheimer, Doral Chenoweth, Phil Didion, Ben Duer, Liz Dufour, Phil Masturzo, Mike Nyerges, Lisa Scalfaro and Carter Skaggs.
Editors: Anthony Shoemaker, Cara Owsley, Dan Horn, Erin Mansfield, Jackie Borchardt and Joe Powell.
Editorial writer: Amelia Robinson
Designers: Keely Brown and Rebecca Boneschans.
Podcast: Haley BeMiller and Patrick Flaherty.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Investigation of Ohio's youth prisons a finalist for national Scripps Howard Award
Most Popular
Comments / 0