COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Columbus grapples with youth involvement in violent crime, a city violence intervention program is working to change young lives before they reach the courthouse. So far this year, 32 people aged 21 and under have been identified as homicide suspects —representing 42 percent of all homicide suspects in the city.

The ReRoute program, a voluntary violence intervention initiative run through the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department in partnership with Columbus Public Health, provides support to youth ages 12 to 21 who have experienced crime, violence or trauma. The program currently serves about 60 active participants across the city, with 25 expected to graduate this year.

"We do just like the name states, we ReRoute them," said Siobhan Thompson, a community interve

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