Ohio – December 23, 2010 — On December 21, 2010, Federal Judge Algenon Marbley appointed Will Harrell to serve as the lead monitor in S.H. v. Stickrath. He will head a team of experts supervising State efforts to comply with a federal court order requiring reforms in the treatment of youth held in custody by the Department of Youth Services. The sweeping order helps move Ohio’s juvenile justice system from one of over-incarceration to one of rehabilitation through evidence-informed practices; both contributing to cost savings and public safety. Harrell succeeds the interim monitor Vince Nathan, appointed two months ago after the resignation of Fred Cohen.
The role of lead monitor is a complex one. It is designed not only to hold the state accountable for compliance under the order but also assists the state in adopting best practices where appropriate. This partnership among the parties and the State promotes the best outcomes for the state, local communities, youth and their families. Mr. Harrell is no stranger to this complexity. He has extensive experience in juvenile justice and conditions of confinement and has held positions such as the chief ombudsman for the Texas Youth Commission, public policy director of the Southern Policy Law Center, chair of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, and executive director of the ACLU of Texas. Harrell’s human rights background spans internationally as well. He holds a J.D. and an LL.M from American University, Washington College of Law, and has prosecuted human rights abuses in Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Haiti, the Bahamas, the US and elsewhere. He supervised elections in Bosnia Herzegovina, represented political asylum seekers from various countries, and represented migrant farm workers in Colorado.
“We are excited to have Will Harrell serve in this role,” states Kim Brooks Tandy, executive director of the Children’s Law Center, Inc. and one of the plaintiffs’ counsel for S.H. v. Stickrath. ” We submitted his name after an extensive search for a candidate who had both hands-on experience in addressing similar issues in other states, as well as a strong national perspective that can contribute to better outcomes for Ohio youth in these facilities,” she adds.
In May 2011, the State will have been under the stipulation for three years. The State of Ohio has been working collaboratively to undertake different aspects of the settlement but there is still a lot of work to be accomplished. It is critical that progress continues. Will Harrell, once named one of 35 people shaping the future of Texas, seems well-suited to help do the same in Ohio.
To learn more about the information contained in this press release please contact Al Gerhardstein at (513) 659-4765 or Kim Brooks Tandy at (317) 840-9332
Contact: Kim Brooks Tandy
Children’s Law Center, Inc.
www.childrenslawky.org
kimbrooks@fuse.net
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