LISBON — There’s more to Columbiana County Juvenile Court than just punishing kids for committing crimes.

In fact, according to the numbers from 2024, the cases involving juvenile delinquents, unruly children or juvenile traffic offenders make up the smaller portion of overall cases handled by Juvenile Court.

According to stats provided by Juvenile Court Administrator Dane Walton, there were 129 delinquent cases, 240 traffic cases, 13 unruly cases and 134 informal (diversion) cases involving juveniles, along with 83 abuse, dependent or neglect cases, 70 adult cases related to truancy, 53 permanent surrender filings related to abuse and neglect cases, 358 custody cases involving grandparents or unmarried parents, 737 new child support cases, 85 new paternity cases and 24 old cases related to custody or support.

“The kid part is really a small part of what we do here,” Chief Probation Officer and Grant Administrator Ann Weigle said.

Visitors to the Charles A. Pike Juvenile Center on West Lincoln Way may have noticed a change at the door last summer when a new security system was installed with a sheriff’s deputy checking everyone walking inside, along with their purses or bags and anything in their pockets.

Both Weigle and Walton indicated the idea of more security had been talked about for a couple years and the fear was that somebody could get to the second floor with a weapon and there wouldn’t be a way to stop them. A man who had been trespassed from the building managed to get to the second floor last year regarding a child support case and was charged with criminal trespass and resisting arrest.

The second floor, which is where the courtrooms and clerk’s office and other offices are located, has had a security station for many years with a security officer on duty. That station remains in place.

The station at the main door, similar to what is located at the county courthouse on South Market Street and the county Municipal Court on Saltwell Road, adds that extra layer of security.

“We do some sensitive work here that involves people and children, a lot of sensitive things that people get upset about,” Weigle said.

For the juvenile criminal cases, the focus is more on diversion and rehabilitation. Only one or two juveniles were sent to Department of Youth Services corrections facilities last year, the juvenile version of prison or jail.

“We try to do some alternatives. You have to show kids a different way,” Weigle said.

One of those ways is through community service work for churches, the county fairgrounds or even local veterans organizations when it’s time to place flags on the graves of veterans, which is something they did for the American Legion in East Palestine and for various cemeteries.

Weigle said the kids love that and it’s made into a teaching moment, with the kids told to look at the gravestones to learn about the person.

Letters are sent out annually to the different churches or organizations that can provide community service opportunities, asking them to call to make arrangements. The community service is usually done one Saturday a month.

The community service work shows the community the kids are doing something good and it’s good for the kids to experience.

One of the alternatives they had some great success with involved getting kids physically active through a six-week program, two days a week, including with boxer Kelly Pavlik at his fitness center Mi Gym in Columbiana. The program incorporated some life skills and community service as well and Pavlik talked to the kids about his life and how he got to where he is today.

“We had great success with that,” Weigle said.

The program was held in the summer and they tried to do one in the fall, but it was a little harder. She said they’ll try again in the spring and summer this year.

The terminology for the Juvenile Court system is a little different these days, with DYS getting away from the idea of probation officers.

“The model we use is motivational intervening,” she explained.

All the kids get a case plan that includes things they can do to improve their lives. And the officers try to think outside the box.

Walton added that if the personnel at Juvenile Court see a need for a child, they try to hook them up with that help, through the Family and Children First Council, counseling services or other services a child may need. There are still barriers sometimes from kids’ activities or parental resistance.

Diversion officers serve kids informally in cases with no charges filed, also offering alternatives.

Weigle noted that a case plan can include the family if there is something a parent needs.

The choices or options Juvenile Court Judge Tom Baronzzi and Magistrate Doug King have at their disposal for dealing with kids is commitment to DYS, a group home, a community correctional facility, residential treatment facility, diversion program or probation.

Walton said the county loses money by sending a juvenile to DYS.

“Their goal is to not lock kids up,” he said.

Some of the residential facilities that used to be located in the county all closed, such as the Rogers Group Home and the Kyes Home. The Louis Tobin Attention Center located outside of Lisbon is part of the Multi-County Juvenile Attention System and is a secure facility.

Weigle said they try really hard to keep kids in their own homes.

The Juvenile Court staff includes Weigle and Walton, three probation officers, two diversion officers, a court advocate, Judge Tom Baronzzi, Magistrate Doug King, seven clerks, two bailiffs, one chief deputy clerk, one records person, one special projects person, maintenance and an administrative assistant. The county prosecutor’s office also has an assistant prosecutor assigned to prosecute juvenile cases.

Funding comes from the county general fund, DYS funding from the state of Ohio, grants and funding from the county Department of Job and Family Services.

mgreier@mojonews.com