From 2006:,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.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE  MAHONING COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORKING GROUP?

HOW COULD 'leadership" ALLOW THAT GROUP TO DISBAND?

According to my sources, The Mahoning County Sheriff's department already had 25 deputies laid off PRIOR to the 66 recent layoffs. 

The misdemeanant jail, that held 96 -  is closed.

Two full housing units,in the main jail, have been closed - each held 52(for a total of 104 released from the main jail in addition to the 96 from the misdemeanant facility)

[52+52+96=200]

Where's the next meeting for  THE  MAHONING COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORKING GROUP?

(from The Vindicator) 10 September 2005 :

Mayor George M. McKelvey says the emergency jail release policy is illegal and attributes a crime wave to county commissioners' refusal to provide funds to staff the jail...

."The consequences of the emergency release policy have been devastating for the city of Youngstown. The homicide rate is on pace to double this year as compared to 2003, when jail capacity was at its highest," he wrote. "Crime of all types has increased alarmingly since we have been unable to incarcerate any misdemeanor offenders."

...McKelvey wondered how a community maintains an effective level of law and order when there is no legal consequence for "beating up, threatening, stealing from or destroying the property of anyone you choose." He said the city cannot be allowed to degenerate into lawlessness....

McKelvey said in his letter that city residents have effectively been abandoned. He wants the "illegal" emergency jail release order dissolved and wants commissioners to fund the jail.

The mayor said incarcerating prisoners is a mandatory function of county government and commissioners should not claim they can't afford to carry out the function "unless they cease funding all discretionary functions."

So, what ever happened to the Mahoning County Criminal Justice Working Group?

My last blog included this from the Vindicator : (YPD Chief)Hughes said any collaborative effort (w the Feds)  will afford local police the opportunity to seek stiffer punishments for gun crimes by prosecuting criminals under federal statutes. He said such an initiative would be great in combatting crime this summer....

Dare I say that stiffer punishments for gun crimes come  'after the fact' --- the crimes already have been committed ---  people already victimised.

So, what ever happened to the Mahoning County Criminal Justice Working Group?

http://archive.vindy.com/archive_detail.php?archiveFile=2007/January/01/Editorial/247117.xml&start=0&numPer=20&keyword=Vincent+Nathan&sectionSearch=&begindate=1%2F1%2F2003&enddate=6%2F27%2F2010&authorSearch=&IncludeStories=1&pubsection=&page=&IncludePages=1&IncludeImages=1&mode=phrase&archive_pubname=The+Youngstown+Vindicator%0A%09%09%09" rel="nofollow">From 01Jan2007's Vindicator Editorial : 

http://archive.vindy.com/archive_detail.php?archiveFile=2007/January/01/Editorial/247117.xml&start=0&numPer=20&keyword=Vincent+Nathan&sectionSearch=&begindate=1%2F1%2F2003&enddate=6%2F27%2F2010&authorSearch=&IncludeStories=1&pubsection=&page=&IncludePages=1&IncludeImages=1&mode=phrase&archive_pubname=The+Youngstown+Vindicator%0A%09%09%09" rel="nofollow">Crime

http://archive.vindy.com/archive_detail.php?archiveFile=2007/January/01/Editorial/247117.xml&start=0&numPer=20&keyword=Vincent+Nathan&sectionSearch=&begindate=1%2F1%2F2003&enddate=6%2F27%2F2010&authorSearch=&IncludeStories=1&pubsection=&page=&IncludePages=1&IncludeImages=1&mode=phrase&archive_pubname=The+Youngstown+Vindicator%0A%09%09%09" rel="nofollow">Even the lure of high-paying stable high-tech jobs, however, will not succeed in creating a strong community if potential employers fear for their safety....  much more progress must be made. To his credit, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams has increased the ranks of the police force and is examining use of auxiliary officers, community policing and increased patrols.

http://archive.vindy.com/archive_detail.php?archiveFile=2007/January/01/Editorial/247117.xml&start=0&numPer=20&keyword=Vincent+Nathan&sectionSearch=&begindate=1%2F1%2F2003&enddate=6%2F27%2F2010&authorSearch=&IncludeStories=1&pubsection=&page=&IncludePages=1&IncludeImages=1&mode=phrase&archive_pubname=The+Youngstown+Vindicator%0A%09%09%09" rel="nofollow">... all of those measures will fail, however, if Mahoning County's criminal justice system is allowed to remain "dysfunctional." That's how Vincent Nathan, a special master appointed by a federal judge to conduct an in-depth review of the county jail, defined it last year. A priority for all in that system[my emphasis] in early 2007 must be working to ensure the Mahoning County jail can become fully operational, so that hardened criminals in our community will no longer receive get-out-of-jail-free cards.