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A SERVICE OF OHIO'S PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS
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Members of the General Assembly, corrections officials and community leaders join Gov. John Kasich as he signs House Bill 86, sentencing reform legislation.
The new law aims to reduce crime by diverting first-time, non-violent offenders to intensive rehabilitative programming in a community setting and seeks to reduce incidents of prison violence, reduce over-crowding and prepare inmates for productive societal re-entry.
The new law:
* Diverts first time, non-violent offenders to community-based sanctions with appropriate rehabilitate programming;
* Equalizes penalties for crack and powder cocaine;
* Allows inmates to qualify for an eight percent term reduction based on successful completion of educational, vocational and mental health programming. This provision only applies to inmates who enter prison after the law is enacted. All sex offenders are excluded;
* Increases felony status for theft related crimes from $500 to $1,000;
* Permits the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to petition for judicial release of inmates who have served 80 percent of their sentence, successfully completed rehabilitative programming and have no incidents of violence while incarcerated. Sex offenders, repeat violent offenders and those incarcerated for gun crimes are excluded; and,
* Fully funds community corrections based proper utilization of the Ohio Risk Assessment System available to all sentencing jurisdictions.
With additional comments from:
- Gary Mohr, Director of the Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation & Correction
- Rep. Lynn Slaby, R-Akron
- Rep. Tracy Maxwell Heard, D-Columbus
- Harvey Reed, Director of the Ohio Dept. of Youth Services
The new law aims to reduce crime by diverting first-time, non-violent offenders to intensive rehabilitative programming in a community setting and seeks to reduce incidents of prison violence, reduce over-crowding and prepare inmates for productive societal re-entry.
The new law:
* Diverts first time, non-violent offenders to community-based sanctions with appropriate rehabilitate programming;
* Equalizes penalties for crack and powder cocaine;
* Allows inmates to qualify for an eight percent term reduction based on successful completion of educational, vocational and mental health programming. This provision only applies to inmates who enter prison after the law is enacted. All sex offenders are excluded;
* Increases felony status for theft related crimes from $500 to $1,000;
* Permits the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to petition for judicial release of inmates who have served 80 percent of their sentence, successfully completed rehabilitative programming and have no incidents of violence while incarcerated. Sex offenders, repeat violent offenders and those incarcerated for gun crimes are excluded; and,
* Fully funds community corrections based proper utilization of the Ohio Risk Assessment System available to all sentencing jurisdictions.
With additional comments from:
- Gary Mohr, Director of the Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation & Correction
- Rep. Lynn Slaby, R-Akron
- Rep. Tracy Maxwell Heard, D-Columbus
- Harvey Reed, Director of the Ohio Dept. of Youth Services
June 29, 2011