After months of study, a group focused on making changes to how juveniles are treated in the criminal justice system unveiled a list of sweeping changes they want to see.

The Ohio Juvenile Justice Working Group, formed by Governor Mike DeWine back in November, issued 26 recommendations that range from eliminating detention for certain crimes to removing mandatory sentences.

The new working group is asking Ohio lawmakers for a major overhaul of the way children are treated when they get in trouble with the law.

"I think the thing we always have to do is look at the whole system," said Mike DeWine, Ohio Governor.

For example, the group argues that a 10-year-old is too young to be locked up, and recommends changing the minimum age for incarceration from 10 years of age to 14 years of age.

Theresa Dellick, Mahoning County Juvenile court judge, supports this recommendation.

"A ten year old is much different than a 14 year old. A ten year old, the prefrontal cortex isn't even developing at that point. Prefrontal cortex is a part of your brain that determines risk, danger, helps you determine what's going on in the situation," said Dellick.

Another recommendation ask for legislation to allow juvenile judges to use discretion in gun cases.

"The juvenile judges are the ones who are there, they are the ones that know that individual or have had experience with that youth before maybe, and so they are the best ones generally to make those decisions," said DeWine.

Dellick said her court has a track record of using alternatives to incarceration whenever possible. These include diversion programs and mental health resources. She also said because Mahoning County has a lot of these available resources, the courts were already able to follow these recommendations. 

"You got to some of these other counties across the state, western, southern part of the state, they don't have the resources we have. Mahoning county is flushed with resources," said Dellick.

The group also wants to eliminate time in JJC for certain nonviolent, felony first offenses.