The number of youth charged in Hamilton County homicides is outpacing previous years and causing great concern within the community, policing, the courts and at City Hall. Mayor Aftab Pureval said public safety is the number one priority at City Hall. He believes investments the city has made this year in policing, mental health and social services will have an immediate and long-term impact on violence in the city. He said addressing youth violence will take a collaborative approach.This is the current state of 2022. Homicides are down approximately 15% from 2021. The number of homicides being solved is up when compared to recent years. The number of youth being arrested and charged in homicides is surging, for the second year in a row. “It is a crisis,” Pureval said. “So much of the root cause of this is poverty. We have a lot of desperate families, a lot of desperate kids. It’s really challenging because a lot of these kids are coming from incredibly desperate situations. And so trying to break down the trauma that they’ve experienced, trying to give them hope and tell them that they are loved and they are valuable and they are needed for the future, it’s not easy.”In 2022, there have been 19 youths charged with murder, vehicular homicide and manslaughter. Seventeen of those youths were arrested on charges filed by Cincinnati police. The other two youths face charges filed by suburban police departments in the county.The current 2022 number is tied with 2021, which skyrocketed from single-digit statistics from 2016 to 2020. According to data requested and obtained from Hamilton County Juvenile Court, 2021 and 2022 are among the worst years in the last three decades and only second to 1995, when 22 youths were charged with murder or manslaughter.”I am surprised that the numbers are skyrocketing seemingly overnight through this year. But more than anything, I’m shocked and saddened by it. We’re talking about the future of our city that’s embroiled in gun violence,” Pureval said. “It’s tragic that so many of the perpetrators of gun violence are children, teenagers, high school, in some instances, middle school students.”The mayor, along with city council, declared gun violence a public health crisis during his first month in office. He said the current administration continues to show it is taking the issue seriously and prioritizing efforts to prevent and curb violence. “I’m really proud of the fact that we took action immediately. We inherited a lot of this violence. And some of it will take some time. That culture shift will take some time,” Pureval said. “Ultimately, the person sitting in my chair has to be optimistic and has to believe that we can get our arms around this challenge.”When asked if he is doing enough, the mayor said: “Look, we have so much more to do, but I’m really proud of the immediate steps we’ve taken in the short term and the long term investments. But again, no one’s declaring success. We’re trending in the right direction.”Pureval touted historic investments in mental health services, the city’s revamped youth employment program, which now offers year-round employment opportunities for youths ages 15 and up. Just last week, during his state of the city address, Pureval announced new gun legislation efforts. If approved, they would ban people convicted of domestic violence from owning guns and require safe storage of firearms. The mayor said Cincinnati needs help from lawmakers in Columbus and D.C.”I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the biggest contributor to this is a lack of sensible gun laws,” Pureval said. “We’re doing everything that we can and we can do more. But we need bold leadership at the State House, and we need bold leadership in Washington, D.C. to help us deal with all of the illegal and legal guns that are flooding into our city.”
The number of youth charged in Hamilton County homicides is outpacing previous years and causing great concern within the community, policing, the courts and at City Hall.
Mayor Aftab Pureval said public safety is the number one priority at City Hall. He believes investments the city has made this year in policing, mental health and social services will have an immediate and long-term impact on violence in the city. He said addressing youth violence will take a collaborative approach.
This is the current state of 2022. Homicides are down approximately 15% from 2021. The number of homicides being solved is up when compared to recent years. The number of youth being arrested and charged in homicides is surging, for the second year in a row.
“It is a crisis,” Pureval said. “So much of the root cause of this is poverty. We have a lot of desperate families, a lot of desperate kids. It’s really challenging because a lot of these kids are coming from incredibly desperate situations. And so trying to break down the trauma that they’ve experienced, trying to give them hope and tell them that they are loved and they are valuable and they are needed for the future, it’s not easy.”
In 2022, there have been 19 youths charged with murder, vehicular homicide and manslaughter. Seventeen of those youths were arrested on charges filed by Cincinnati police. The other two youths face charges filed by suburban police departments in the county.
The current 2022 number is tied with 2021, which skyrocketed from single-digit statistics from 2016 to 2020.
According to data requested and obtained from Hamilton County Juvenile Court, 2021 and 2022 are among the worst years in the last three decades and only second to 1995, when 22 youths were charged with murder or manslaughter.
“I am surprised that the numbers are skyrocketing seemingly overnight through this year. But more than anything, I’m shocked and saddened by it. We’re talking about the future of our city that’s embroiled in gun violence,” Pureval said. “It’s tragic that so many of the perpetrators of gun violence are children, teenagers, high school, in some instances, middle school students.”
The mayor, along with city council, declared gun violence a public health crisis during his first month in office. He said the current administration continues to show it is taking the issue seriously and prioritizing efforts to prevent and curb violence.
“I’m really proud of the fact that we took action immediately. We inherited a lot of this violence. And some of it will take some time. That culture shift will take some time,” Pureval said. “Ultimately, the person sitting in my chair has to be optimistic and has to believe that we can get our arms around this challenge.”
When asked if he is doing enough, the mayor said: “Look, we have so much more to do, but I’m really proud of the immediate steps we’ve taken in the short term and the long term investments. But again, no one’s declaring success. We’re trending in the right direction.”
Pureval touted historic investments in mental health services, the city’s revamped youth employment program, which now offers year-round employment opportunities for youths ages 15 and up.
Just last week, during his state of the city address, Pureval announced new gun legislation efforts. If approved, they would ban people convicted of domestic violence from owning guns and require safe storage of firearms.
The mayor said Cincinnati needs help from lawmakers in Columbus and D.C.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the biggest contributor to this is a lack of sensible gun laws,” Pureval said. “We’re doing everything that we can and we can do more. But we need bold leadership at the State House, and we need bold leadership in Washington, D.C. to help us deal with all of the illegal and legal guns that are flooding into our city.”
