Juveniles do not deserve indiscriminate shackling

Juveniles do not deserve indiscriminate shackling

The Supreme Court of Ohio should be commended for addressing the issue of juvenile shackling. As Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor points out, the juvenile court’s mission is to rehabilitate.

When the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges passed its resolution against indiscriminate shackling in juvenile courtrooms, we were guided in part by mental-health experts who found that shackling was such a profoundly negative experience that it disrupted healthy adolescent development and thus worked against rehabilitation. This is particularly true for young people who have experienced trauma, as so many in our courtrooms have.

Across the country, states are ending the automatic shackling of youth. Juvenile courts continue to do their business safely and efficiently. Ohio is joining a national reform movement that I know from experience reaps immediate benefits.

I order shackles only in the extremely rare cases when there is evidence that a child presents a flight or safety risk that could not be managed by less extreme means. Free of restraints, kids are more communicative and easier to engage. This gives me a much better chance of making a difference in their lives – and that, after all, is what the court is designed to do.

Darlene Byrne, Travis County, Texas

Byrne ia a judge of the 126th Judicial District Court in Texas and is president of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

Don’t let litter box woes ruin the life of your cat

All too often, cats are being surrendered to shelters due to litter box problems.

Worse yet, they are sometimes punished or thrown out to fend for themselves. Most always, the problem is with the litter box not being cleaned.

Imagine if every time you had to use the restroom, there was a bed of feces and urine that you had to walk across.

How long before you looked for somewhere else to relieve yourself?

There are scoopable litters that cost a little bit more, but they are well worth the additional cost.

The car’s litter box should be scooped at least once a day. It should be emptied, washed and dried at least once a month or so.

Do these things, and I’m sure your litter box problems will be resolved.

Debra Isabella, Struthers