City Now Charging for Stow Youth Services Diversion Program

Last year, $1,550 was raised from sealing youth's misdemeanor criminal records in Stow. Recently, state law was updated and the city can no longer charge for that service and the option to seal a record is available sooner now. 

To counter the loss in record sealing fees, the city will begin charging $10 to enter into a youth diversion program. 

Chief Louis Dirker said the $10 fee is in line with other area departments. 

"At the juvenile court, the fines are well over $100," he said. "Ours is not that much of a fee."

Stow Youth Services Director Kathy Christ said based on how many people participate in the diversion program, the new $10 fee should more than supplement the record-sealing fees. She also said out of all the youth cases handled by Stow last year, half of the juvenile offenders spent $50 to seal their records. 

In addition to the changes in fees, the state is now allowing youth records to be sealed earlier. 

Previously, a record for a misdemeanor charge could not be sealed for two years from the date of the offense. Now after the state law changed, it can be sealed six months after the crime was committed. 

"Juveniles are having a hard time getting into the military and we’re not in it for that, we’re in it to help them out," said Christ.

City Council voted 6-1 to make the changes mentioned above in this story. Councilman Mike Rasor voted "no." . 

Mayor Sara Drew said the administration talked about the possibility that some youths may not be able to pay the $10 fee for the diversion program. 

"It seems highly unlikely, but maybe there is a homeless family or some other situation ... should that be the case, access to the program won't be denied," she said. "We'll take the situation under advisement administratively on an adhoc basis. There's potential for us to wave the fee."