59°More probation for first-time offenders?
Feb 02
2011
A report being released Wednesday by the Council of State Governments' Justice Center recommends Ohio adopt 13 changes to its probation and sentencing laws that could shrink the state's prison population by 4,500 inmates over four years and save taxpayers $62 million.
The proposals, grouped by three general categories:
Hold offenders accountable in more meaningful ways:
—Require first-time property crime and drug offenders to serve probation instead of prison sentences and attend treatment as needed.
— Lengthen the maximum sentences for people convicted of particularly serious and violent crimes, and provide judges more options when sentencing lower-level offenders, such as 9- and 18-month sentences along with 1 and 2 years.
— Allow sentences that an inmate could reduce by participating in programs that decrease the likelihood of a return trip to prison.
— Require that people sentenced to prison with a high risk of committing new crimes be supervised after they're released into the community.
— Study how victim restitution is collected across the state and recommend ways that system could be improved.
Make smarter use of community correction programs like halfway houses:
—Adopt a statewide set of tools for measuring an offender's likelihood of committing new crimes.
—Sentence only those offenders to community correction programs who are shown less likely by research to commit new crimes after participating in the programs.
—Make better use of state-funded community correction programs by making sure they use supervision strategies proven to keep people from committing new crimes.
Strengthen supervision of people on probation:
—Establish statewide standards that define effective probation practices.
—Provide funding and other incentives to improve felony probation supervision, estimated at about $10 million every two years.
—Reduce duplication of dollars spent on supervision.
—Require that hearings for alleged probation violators be held quickly.
—Collect and analyze data from probation departments around Ohio.
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02:38 PM
FST says
For those of you who believe this is a liberal thing..read this. And if you want to know more,you can find it at this link here...
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2011/feb/02/conservatives_board_sentencing_r
Struggling with chronic budget crises, lawmakers in more and more states are embracing sentencing and other reforms in a bid to hold down corrections costs. But while sentencing reform has long been the domain of "bleeding heart" liberals, now conservatives are driving those efforts in some states.
It's not just about dollars. Although fiscal concerns are a driving force among conservatives, there are also signs they are recognizing and confronting the failures of our drug and criminal justice policies. In a recent Washington Post op-ed, none other than former House Speaker Newt Gingrich wrote of "more humane, effective alternatives" to the national imprisonment binge.
Still, as their states bleed red ink, some of them are shifting from "tough on crime" to "smart on crime." Leading the charge is a newly formed advocacy group, Right On Crime, endorsed by big conservative names including Gingrich, taxpayer advocate Grover Norquist, and former drug czar William Bennett.
Based in Texas, Right On Crime is touting the success the Lone Star State has had with sentencing reform to make such reforms more palatable to conservatives. In 2003, the state passed legislation ordering that small-time drug offenders be given probation instead of prison time, and in 2007, the state rejected prison-building in favor of spending $241 million on treatment programs for offenders.
03:32 PM
Commenter says
Stronger penalites for first time offenders may prevent their being a first time in the first place.
01:41 PM
Pete says
Resident,
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The one line made me actually LOL. Thanks, needed that!
01:35 PM
Erie County Resident says
Moderators have removed this comment because it contained obscenity, threats, and personal attacks. Discussion Guidelines08:16 AM
kURT says
We the people nation wide would like the upper tier long term criminals eliminated.
We the people pay too much to house & provide medical care for violent individuals who have decades of violent criminal behavior.
Execute swiftly known murders, rapiste & pedophiles thus ensuring safer communities nation wide, while sending a clear message to low base human beings.
05:50 AM
snatchblock_445 says
Yet again the state is giving the drug dealers something to think about, let see....I will be the dope dealer, and you can sell it, but don't get caught cause the state is changing the laws and you will go to prison longer this time, and I'll just have to find someone else to sell my dope....Yep, that makes sence
12:23 AM
gene44870 says
I can see them wanting to make room in these jails , but to let the drug dealers out to sell to anyone that will buy is the craziest thing I have ever heard .
Ohio you need to go back to the drawing board and try to come up with something that isnt going to place innicent people at risk , And drug dealers are no better then murders or rapest , and to slap them on the hands would be a slap on the face to every law biding person in the state of ohio . cause when you think about it , you have to ask yourselves what cause a person to lose there lives and what was the condition of the person that took there lives , and I can bet that it had something to do with drugs , weather they are sellers or users .
So if i were you I would rethink this and try to come up with something that isnt going to affect law biding people.
08:07 PM
FST says
It is about time the state changes the way they operate when it comes to crimes and punishments.
07:51 PM
MichelleB says
Holy crap, something that makes sense.