Judge Stroud talks Juvenile Felony Diversion on WOSU's All Sides show

Published on January 16, 2026

WOSU’s All Sides with Amy Juravich invited Judge Lasheyl Stroud on the show Jan. 14 to discuss the court’s efforts to address both juvenile delinquency and domestic violence.

Host Amy Juravich asked Judge Stroud about the Juvenile Felony Diversion Program – a one-year pilot program that launched in September.

“This program is unique, first because it was launched in conjunction with the Franklin County Prosecutor’s office,” Judge Stroud said. “Prosecutor Shayla Favor and our court had conversations about what we could do to help with the collaborative effort for community and increasing justice, specifically in juvenile court.”

The Juvenile Felony Diversion Program expands the court’s existing diversion program, allowing some first-time offenders charged with low-level felonies the opportunity to participate in diversion. If they successfully complete the program, their charges are dropped and records sealed and expunged. Eligible offenses for the 90-day program are low-level felonies involving $500 or less in restitution, including theft, receiving stolen property, breaking and entering, vandalism and drug possession.

Both the prosecutor’s office and the crime victim must agree for a case to be eligible for diversion and victims receive their restitution up front.

Repeat or dangerous offenders are not eligible for the program, nor are violent cases such as weapons offenses, sexual offenses, vehicular homicide, or vehicular manslaughter.

A key element of the diversion program is Community Restorative Justice Circles, coordinated by the court’s Youth Education and Intervention Services. Participants -- including the youth, community members, trained coordinators and, if they choose, the crime victim -- sit in a circle to discuss the youth’s behavior and its impact on the community and the victim. Participants in the circle decide what consequences are appropriate. Those can range from paying restitution, performing community service or writing an apology, for instance.

“We’re bringing together community members so we can have accountability, but also find out ‘What are the needs? What are you missing? What is it we can do as community members to help and to give you a different perspective,” Judge Stroud said on the All Sides program.

From the beginning of the program in September through the end of 2025, 28 youth were referred to Juvenile Felony Diversion. At the end of December, nine youth had successfully completed diversion. Five youth who were unsuccessful, either because they acquired new delinquency charges or they failed to complete the program, had their charges re-activated in court.

Other guests on the program included WOSU reporter George Shillcock, who discussed homicide data shared by Columbus police for 2025, and Malissa Thomas St. Clair of Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children, who talked about the successful efforts in the city to keep the number of murders for the year “under triple digits.”

You can listen to the show on the WOSU website.