Don Leffler News Today

A decade ago, Marion County embraced a new approach to juvenile crime. It worked so well that the county closed its detention center.

For Marion Family Court Judge Robert Fragale, the cycle of incarcerated youth becoming incarcerated adults was growing too quickly. Through his years as a judge, he saw young teens sent away to juvenile detention only to wind up back in a courtroom years later being convicted as an adult. He said it was a vicious cycle; as more young adults were sent to juvenile detention, theyd make more friends with other troubled kids which led to more crime and more arrests. Fragale wanted to see a change i...