Chip McConville prefers to go through his workday without seeing children, and when he does encounter them on the job he routinely tells them he hopes it’s for the last time. Sound like an ogre or crank? Not at all. McConville is the Knox County Assistant Prosecutor with primary responsibility for the office’s substantial load of unruly child and juvenile delinquency cases.
Juvenile issues in Knox County are heard in Judge James Ronk’s courtroom, and Ohio Supreme Court statistics confirm McConville’s description of his role as “a volume practice.” In 2011, the court dealt with 151 cases involving “unruly” children, which McConville explains is the system’s “entry level” for youths in trouble. There were 573 more serious delinquency cases involving offenses that would be misdemeanors or felonies if committed by adults.
Along with his juvenile court duties, McConville handles some adult prosecutions, civil matters and appeals. So it’s not surprising when he cites the caseload as the most challenging part of his job.
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