Lucas County’s justice model reflects adolescent brain science

By Farah Siddiqi

Across Ohio, programs are rethinking how to support youth in transition to adulthood.

Experts said it means aligning systems with what brain science tells us about adolescence, a decade-long period of growth and vulnerability between ages 14 and 24.

Lisa Lawson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, recently authored "Thrive," a book on youth development. She said adolescents are still developing critical skills which shape decision-making and emotional control.

"Many people misunderstand this period of life," Lawson contended. "It’s a time when young people really develop important skills, like learning to manage their emotions, making thoughtful decisions and building deeper relationships."

The prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for judgment and impulse control, does not fully mature until around age 25, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Programs like the one in Lucas County are highlighted in Lawson’s Thrive, which urged policymakers nationwide to build on adolescent brain science by focusing on guidance, real-world learning and second chances to help young people cross the bridge to adulthood successfully.

In Toledo, the Lucas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council is putting the ideas into practice.

Holly Matthews, executive director of the council, said the county’s shift to risk-based assessments and diversion programs helps people, especially young adults, address underlying issues instead of being jailed.

"Providing alternatives for youth to really figure out what they want to do and engage in something that they’re interested in would help transition youth into adulthood," Matthews recommended.

Since adopting evidence-based tools in 2015, Lucas County has reduced its jail population by about 42%. The county also embeds social workers with law enforcement to connect people to behavioral health care, while pilot projects place defendants in treatment rather than having them wait in jail for evaluations.

Matthews argued the efforts show how people, especially adolescents, can thrive when given meaningful opportunities and guidance.