Group to finish final report on Mahoning County Jail

YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County Criminal Justice Working Group will finalize and adopt its operational plan Feb. 28 and submit its final report with the United States District Court Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division.
The working group filed its fourth report Friday and requested a 12-day extension to file its operational plan and final report with the court.
According to Friday's report, the working group met Jan. 17, Feb. 7 and Tuesday, but a majority of members believed key proposed components of an operational plan were not developed enough to be included. Therefore, an extension will provide the working group the opportunity to complete its operational plan and report back to the Court.
Special Master Atty. Vincent M. Nathan of Toledo was appointed by U.S. District Court Judge David D. Dowd to oversee the Mahoning County Jail. Nathan contended that the jail's problems "are the result of a dysfunctional criminal justice system" and recommended the formation of a working group to address the myriad problems affecting law enforcement agencies, the prosecutor's office, the courts and the jail.