CINCINNATI — It's a question with no simple answer: How do you stop violent crime in Cincinnati?
Data shows that while violent crime is down overall in Cincinnati compared to 2022, the number of aggravated assaults went up downtown, in Pendleton and Over-the-Rhine in 2023. There were also five homicides opposed to two in 2022.
After two videos released by police show violent assaults —both involving teens — in downtown Cincinnati, some are trying to offer help while others are suggesting who should be held accountable.
The Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office both said they believe that two of the suspects arrested in the Jan. 23 assault were given lenience. Prosecutor Melissa Powers said she believes both teens should still be in jail. On Wednesday evening, police named two juveniles as suspects in both the Jan. 23 and Jan. 24 assaults.
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Near the sites of both assaults, a group of community activists met face-to-face with teenagers offering their help.
"Come and see us, we are going to stop all of this violence," said Stephon Pryor, talking on a megaphone. "We got to do better."
Community activist Iris Roley was also seen speaking to teens, talking to one about finding a job while he waited for a bus on E. 5th Street and Walnut.
For days, WCPO has heard from law enforcement, prosecutors and public defenders about how the community should handle cases of violent crime in Cincinnati.
"There needs to be some consequence, what that consequence is, you know, I'm not a judge, I think there has to be some consequence," council member Mark Jeffreys said. "I'm a parent, and I do know that if you don't have consequences for actions, your child does, then there's no effect."
FOP President Ken Kober said he doesn't blame every judge for letting violent offenders out.
"There are many of them that do a fine job," Kober said. "But what we're seeing is that (suspects) are being charged with violent felonies and they're going to court and they're getting very, very small bonds until they go through the court process and they need to be held accountable. There has to be consequences for even being charged with these crimes, especially when they're on video."
Powers described those judges as more like defense attorneys than neutral parties.
"I think they've lost their way, they don't know they're neutral, they should be neutral, and deciding, and there's a clear bias," Powers said. "I think that some of these judges are showing in the courtroom, and how they're handling their cases. I don't know what other options a judge has to keep the community safe except taking and removing these individuals off the streets."
Angela Chang, director of the youth defense division for the public defender's office in Hamilton County, believes locking juveniles up is not going to solve the problem. When it comes to accountability, she has a different approach.
"Nobody has a crystal ball," said Chang. "Kids learn from their mistakes, if we give them the right response and the tools to learn something from that. I don't think it's fair to say that judge is responsible for somebody's individual behavior. Certainly, they are responsible for the appropriate response that they give, and I do think they take that job very seriously."
On Wednesday, Roley said she and her group of community activists will be walking through downtown offering their help to people for the next several days.
