The state has agreed to start discussing the best way to release eligible children from state detention centers almost as soon as they arrive.
The goal of the Department of Youth Services' new plan is to make sure decisions about releases are fair and that youth aren't being held in prison longer than needed.
The state and attorneys representing Ohio youthful offenders agreed to changes to the release program as part of an ongoing federal court case.
The plan requires the state to embrace a philosophy that acknowledges a youth's plan for a smooth transition back into the community starts when he or she enters detention.
It shifts away from rigid sentencing requirements to a plan that follows a youth's progress during imprisonment.
