TWO COUNTIES A comparison

September 11, 2003 at 12:00a.m.

Ohio Supreme Court records show the following for common pleas criminal cases in Lorain and Mahoning counties for 2002:
LORAIN COUNTY
Population: 284,664 in 2000 Census.
2002: 35 jury trials and 21 bench trials. It processed 1,313 guilty or no-contest pleas and accepted pleas in 382 cases in which the charge was reduced.
MAHONING COUNTY
Population: 257,555 in 2000 Census.
2002: 21 jury trials and one bench trial. It processed 521 guilty or no-contest pleas and accepted pleas in 37 cases in which the charge was reduced.