Franklin County Municipal Judge Tackles Effective Justice for Young Adults

Shortly after taking the bench in January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gave Judge Jessica D’Varga time to contemplate how she would make an impact in her new role.

“We were treating people between the ages of 18 and 25 the same way we were treating adults when it came to probation and violations, but they weren’t responding like adults,” said Judge D’Varga, who currently presides over the Franklin County Municipal Court.

Since taking the bench, Judge D’Varga has overseen the development and implementation of Unleashing Potential – a targeted rehabilitative program for young adults going through the justice system.
Unleashing Potential works to combat an alarming trend within the criminal justice system in the United States. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, young adults comprise of 9.4% of the U.S. population but make up 23% of all arrests.

The Franklin County program targets this disproportionate arrest rate by recognizing that these individuals have not fully cognitively developed like their older counterparts. Research in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and numerous other scientific publications have documented that the brain continues to develop well into a person’s mid-20s. By providing these young adults with a network of resources, the county hopes to reduce young adult recidivism.

The Unleashing Potential program connects 18–25-year-old defendants, typically with non-violent charges, with a probation officer, case worker, and judge to create a tailored action plan. Individuals are also referred to organizations to help them receive driver’s licenses, diplomas, financial advising, and access to stable housing and childcare. Other resources include drug and mental health treatment, with trauma-informed behavioral assistance. Participants are typically enrolled for a year to 18 months, but each plan is tailored to the individual. Upon completion of the program, participants are able to have their charges reduced or the case dismissed with the charges removed.

Unleashing Potential, and other programs like it, work to provide participants with stability in their lives. “The majority of them come to us without stability,” said Judge D’Varga. “We’re trying to teach them how to be a part of the community and how to be supports for each other.”

The efforts of Judge D’Varga have been mirrored nationwide. In March, the National Center for State Courts convened to discuss effective measures for tackling the issue of emerging adults in the justice system.
As a part of the Ohio coalition, Judge D’Varga was able to present her methods for promoting effective justice among this age group.

The efforts are far from over. In the future, Judge D’Varga hopes to expand Unleashing Potential’s reach in serving the needs of emerging adults in the justice system by adding more case managers and increased funding. The work within Franklin County serves as a model for other courts hoping to better serve this age group by addressing basic needs, and providing access to community supports.

“The biggest piece of the puzzle is getting people to understand that this age group is different, and we need to be treating them differently,” said Judge D’Varga. “That's the biggest piece that's starting to finally fall together for courts across the country.”