YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - School is just around the corner and it should be one of the safest places for children.  But did you know that while most sexual predators aren't allowed within 1,000 feet of a school, others cannot only live near schools, they can attend them?

21 News digs deeper to explore the laws that govern juvenile sex offenders.

When it comes to adult sex offenders our society goes to great lengths to protect the public.  Like a scarlet letter offenders names and addresses are posted on a public web site, and letters are even mailed to their neighbors to make sure they're aware that a convicted sex offender lives nearby.

But when it comes to juvenile sex offenders the laws are quite different.

It's a complicated situation that pits a juveniles right to privacy against the public's right to know.  You see there is nothing in Ohio law that requires law enforcement or the juvenile justice system to notify parents, teachers or even the superintendent that there are sex offenders attending their school, unless a judge says otherwise.

Linda Cutlip is a grandmother in the Mahoning Valley, "I feel that as a grandmother I have a right to know that there's a sex offender in my grand kids school.  Because you just never know what they're going to do."

Mahoning County's Juvenile Court has the only certified sex offender team in Ohio and possibly the United States.  Judge Theresa Dellick tells me there's a very short window to rehabilitate these young people.  And doing that in a public forum would only hinder the progress that could be made.

"It interferes because one thing is we're trying to get that student back on track.  Back into a regular life.  And we want that student to be able to assimilate and move around in society as everyone else is," Judge Dellick said.

In 2014 there were 16 juvenile sex offenders in Mahoning County, and 8 in Trumbull County.  In 2015 the number increased to 23 in Mahoning County, and 9 in Trumbull County.

Tom Snyder of Columbiana says, "I'm shocked to hear that there's juvenile sex offenders out there.  And I guess I shouldn't be.  But I'd have to think long and hard about them being integrated next to my loved ones in school -- my kids, my grand kids."

But Chief Magistrate Richard White who oversees all of the sex offender cases at Mahoning County's Juvenile Court says the decision is not that simple.

"After a child either admits to the offense or it's found to be true, we have a whole series of tests done to help determine what would be the appropriate treatment and sanction if any.  so if it is determined that the safety of the community is at risk which is always our top priority, then the child would not be back in the community."

... And experts say keep in mind that research has repeatedly shown that juvenile sex offenders have the lowest rate of recidivism of any group of delinquent children.  Meaning their less likely to re-offend.