The Warren Tribune Chronicle reports, “State Prisons Face Budget Cuts,” that the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction is facing budget cuts at a time when Ohio has more prisoners than ever, holding 33 percent more inmates than its facilities were intended to hold, and when the whole system is facing budget cuts in the next biennium.
Excerpts from the article:
- Ohio’s prison system is at its highest inmate level ever, with 51,000 inmates being housed across the state in prisons that had been designed to hold 38,300. Warren’s state prison, Trumbull Correctional Institution, is at 148 percent of capacity, holding 1,340 inmates. The Leavittsburg-area prison was designed to hold 902.
- Adding to a bleak situation, earlier this month, Strickland released a state budget ”worst-case scenario,” pointing out that the state is facing a $7.3 billion deficit in the next two years based on current tax revenue projections, which are heading downward as all major economics indicators have plummeted.
- Without Washington’s help, state agencies would need to cut 25 percent off their current funding levels if the state wants to preserve Medicaid, a tax reduction and continue making debt payments, Strickland said.
- ”We are facing historic times with the state of Ohio,” Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Director, Terry J. Collins said. ”We have made no decisions on anything at this particular point in time. I have talked to legislators about various potential changes. It comes down to a pretty simple theory.” That theory includes looking at other forms of punishment, including alternate sentencing programs, GPS tracking with ankle bracelets, halfway houses and simply accepting the fact that not everyone has to be in prison to be punished, Collins said.
- ”There’s only so much you can cut,” state Rep. Tom Letson, D-Warren, said. ”But revenue is down, and we’re trying to cut without increasing any taxes.” ”It’s almost impossible to close any (prison) without setting people free,” state Sen. Robert Hagan said.
- The two officials are stuck in the middle of the bleak budget scenario that already has given way to threats of closing state parks and raising college tuition. ”We won’t get the budget until February, and I heard 5 to 7.5 billion has to be cut,” Letson said.
- Hagan said across-the-board cuts from 10 to 25 percent certainly would mean a long, hard look to the prison system, where inmates require between $26,000 to $52,000 a year to remain behind bars.
- Some officials have called for the elimination of 5,237 positions at the state prisons department, including corrections and parole officers. Ohio also would close six institutions at a time when prisons already are crowded. Many treatment and job programs for inmates would be cut. And the trickle-down effect also could mean cuts for alternative sentencing programs such as Northeast Ohio Community Alternative Program (NEOCAP), located in Warren.
- Hagan said it’s more likely officials in the prison system, which includes 32 institutions and two privately run prisons, will make the call on who gets laid off and who gets released. The system also includes Trumbull Correctional Institution, one of the more modern prisons in the state. ”You risk the chance of more or increased violence in the prisons if they’re overcrowded,” Hagan said.
- He said the state most likely will depend on major increases in the area of house arrest and electronic monitoring of inmates removed from prisons.”And those inmates have to be first-time and nonviolent offenders,” he said.
I think that closing some of the prisons is a good idea and I agree with letting the non violent prisoners go on the electronic monitoring. My husband just got sent to prison for 4 years for a failure to comply charge! I think that is ridiculous for someone who has never been to prison before or never had a driving charge like this. his worst one was driving with no license. No come on people. We have way worse people out here on the street them him. I feel he should be punished another way. He has a wife, three kids and just started to begin to start his own roofing business. I don’t think and i think alot of people would agree with me that he is a threat to society. He just told me in a letter that he among with many many people is sleeping on the floors at Lorain Correctional facility. THATS CRAZY AND INHUMANE. He is not a threat to anyone out in the world. We have tried to discuss with his case manager early release programs or SRCCC or house arrest and have gotten no where. Why is this such a big deal if the prisons are so crowded?
I think the judges should take more time deciding jail sentence’s than automatically handing out the longest term they can. So many people are
in jail because of one wrong choice they made out of a reaction when they
should have taken a minute to stop and think.That does not make a person
bad .
i agree that there is to many ppl being sent to prison..I do not think thats the way to punish all ppl.My husband got sent to prison for 4 years for not reporting to his last day of parole that he had been on violation free for 5 years.Thats was a very harsh punishment after 5 years of reporting every week n never getting violated.
I do to believe people should form some kind legislation on this.so many people are incarcerated for way to long.my husband was senteced to 4 years where his friend was sentenced with probation!what if when will they make a desion on the budget cuts?
If the prison system is so over crowded maybe they need to take a look at all the pre-senate bill two inmates that are still incarcerated, many if whom should have been paroled by now. Until someone starts holding the Ohio Parole board responsible for the decisions they make regarding old law, it will never change.
I think that closing some of the prisons is a great idea. I also feel that the judges need to think about the terms they hand down instead of giving the max for the littlest things. I have a few relatives thats incarcerated and they are serving outragouse sentences. one is doing 17 yrs over a petty drug charge and one is a recovering drug addict that need help staying clean who instead of rehab was sentenced to almost a year. when there is ppl out there doing way worse things than these ppl could think about doing. so im all for closing down some of these hellholes and letting the ones who has a chance at makeing better choices for their lives go free. I feel that there’s a chance for these people to make a life for themselfs and their children outside of the bars and fences.
To who it may concern:
Yes the judges give too long of sentences — when someone who has never been in trouble before gets 9 years for a white collar crime and is put in with sex offenders and murderers. He never been in trouble before. And he has medical problems and they and the judge would not listen. He was told not to say a word, not a word, in court.
They never checked out the statement from one person — which was lies. He has a family to What lesson can he learn except hate. Yes be monitored and able to work. If we were rich or in the political eye things like this would never happen.
If the judges weren’t paid 10,000.00 every time they sent someone to prison, things may be different. Instead they strive for the money and are fast to send every one they can and depend on our tax dollars for support. The way the inmates are treated is inhumane and totally uncalled for in the U.S.A. We can go to the foreign countries and help them rebuild their country that we blew up and treat our own people like crap. Whats wrong with this pictcure? Come on AMERICA let get our priorities in order………………
Its not hard to beleive that Ohio prisons are overcrowded…considering that many in ohio prisons are innocent and sentenced by over zealous prosecutors and judges loooking for convictions to further there careers..Ive witnessed cases where there was no evidence to prove the person the person guilty and yet these persona are in prison serving long sentences…Our justice system is a joke and everyone knows it except the ones trying the cases..People need to come together and and join in fighting this kind of unjustice…If there is one innocent person in prison it is to many…And you wonder why Ohio prisons are so overcrowded..Well lets do something about it..Get in touch with the governnor and state representatives..Prison is not always the answer. Its very costly and doesnt need to be that way…
I think judges should re-evaluate the sentences they give out. There are many young people going to prison for making bad choices. They are being categorized as being violent offenders but don’t have violent past at all. Rehabilitation has never been the priority of the Courts here in Ohio or elsewhere. I truly wanted to believe in the justice system however, I’ve been conviced that the Judicial System is a racket and only there to destroy lives. We are all human and we all make mistakes. I am a mother with an 18 year old doing 8 years in prison and yes, he is very sorry for the stupid, childish act he committed, however, he never has been in any real trouble. Because he excercised his rights to a jury trial the Judge decided to throw him away for 8 years. He will be 26 when he gets out, then what. This is not going change as long as we allow these people to keep dolling out senseless punishments. Lets get together and go to Columbus and let them know that people are tired of this craziness.
Listen to all of you fools,,, these people rapped people, killed people, sell drugs to cause others to ruin their lives and you want to let them go! Ya i know,,,ALL OF YOUR HUSBANDS ARE INNOCENT LITTLE ANGELS AND THEY SHOULD BE LET FREE!!!! SPARE ME! Every asshole in there has pissed away chance after chance after chance, keep your lies for yourself because no one else is buying it! I think the deadbeat dad laws are way too strict and they will wind up letting non-violent offenders out,, but it sucks that there will be another lay-off. It used to be these jobs were decent paying with decent beifits,,,,,but now they/re not so safe…
Anyway, just think how safe you’ll HONESTLY FEEL WHEN THEY LET ALL THESE SCUM OUT! But at least your inocent hubbies will be home to protect you lol. Maybe he’ll have some of his new friends over for dinner ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH!
I think it is crazy for a judges to sentence some one who only knew about the crime to a year and the one’s that committed the crime are walking scott free or just in the county jail and still have’nt been sentenced yet and it has been a year since they where arrested
I agree with Robert Travis. I believe that the prisons are over populated because over zealous prosecutors and judges. I also think that some attorneys show lack of enthusiam in their clients innocence. My boyfriend is currently serving a 10 year sentence for a crime that he didn’t commit. He was forced into taking a plea deal because his attorney didn’t hire any medical experts because he didn’t want to look desperate. His attorney even told him I could win ths case but I’m not going to. My boyfriend didn’t know that he could hire another attorney and postspone the trial. To be honest, I didn’t know that untl recently. The over populated prisons have a lot to do with prosecuting attorney wanting to get the conviction no matter if the person is truly innocent or guilty. I am doing everything in my power in to free him. i am not having the best of luck.
I feel everyone on here my boyfriend was sentence to a year for child support when he never done anytime before no 30 days no 60 days or anything, not taking in consideration that there is no jobs. It was his judge trying to make a name for hisself and its crazy that you can not go over there heads or something. Cause I think a year was a little to much for child support when they are giveing drug dealer a year in prison for selling drugs. People need to stand up and speak out on these judges.
In my honest oppinion they give drug dealers to much time. I see drug dealers searving more time thn murders.
If the prison systems are so overcrowded why are we still talking about all of this and not doing something about it? Other states still have good time and serving one month counts for like three against your sentence. Why can’t we atleast do that? That should balance out the “over sentenced” people and reward them for good behavior so the ones who haven’t learned their lesson serve their full sentence, but those who behave and deserve to come home will get the benefits. This should compensate for the sentence happy judges and prosecutors while weeding out the offenders who got more than they should have. Time to make some serious changes!!!
Why are non violent offenders kept in a maximum security prisons ? Why are we spending more money on prisons than colleges? Most of prisons sentences involve drugs. It’s much cheaper to keep sending them to rehab. The present system is the result of chest thumping ideologues with brothers in law in the prison business.
My son got 5 years for getting a ride home his friend had drugs in the car and he told them the drugs was his judge stomer elinor stated I don’t think the drugs were yours but I think you knew it was in the car and gave him 5 years I guess guilty beyond a reasonable doubt don’t applies to everybody
i know first hand one of the parts of this system that should be changed is the way they charge people for child support.. i myself have been picked up and sent to prison for 6 months for my forst offence and was only 4500 behind…. now on the other side my ex will not let me have my court ordered visitation but thats ok to them.. she also has had utilities turned on in my name and we have been divorced for over 12 years. has gotten a cellphone in my name and other things but doenst get in trouble for that.. oh i forgot to mention the mayor of the city she lives in was at my wedding and is friends with her family and has his hands and 2 cents involved in the matter as well but there is nothing i can do about it… now i have my own family my own company and am doing ok for myself but over the winter got behind and guess what,,,,, there they were kicking at my door with a warrant to pick me up again… but yet i have sisters that are owed over $100.00 each and there is nothing happening to there ex husbands why is that? because its who you know and who you blow
I personally think that our lawmakers and state legislater should be put in prison for making the laws that totally ruin families and waste our tax money. I mean think about all the money they spend locking people up and policing, when they should be protecting and serving. They think they can help us by punishing us for everything under the sun. Not only do they want to control everthing that you and I do, but they also want to lock you up for everything that you do. So what do you do? You vote them out stand up for your rights, and maybe send some of them to prison see how they like it.
I was incarcerated in ohio an Ohio prison and they will continue to lock up inocent people to keep the revenue going.
alright i was reading about everybodys problems with the courts and their husbands going 2 jail i have been in their place ive been locked up numerous times 4 numerous things but never anything serious and it was always blown out of proportion it is rediculous what these courts do 2 people i think it is down right wrong especially 4 people that comit little crimes then do good 4 5 years and mess up 1 time and get 4 years 4 not showing up somewhere big deal not showing up the parole officer cant jus call the person on parole and ask why they didnt show up i mean what if something seriouse happened and they didnt have a choice and u throw them away 4 what 4 nothing this all has happened 2 myself and im jus sick and tired of people with a little shiny peice of medal on their chest thinking there hard shit cause there not there only hard while that badge is on and there on the bench sentincing u
Wow! I am amazed at what a uneducated idiot like Brian Chamberlain can spew. First of all, if you bothered to read (that is if you CAN read Brian) most of these loved ones who have posted spoke of their loved ones being FIRST time offenders, not scum, as you so eloquently put it, who have pissed away chance after chance. It told me the type of person you really are when you stated that you felt the laws on deadbeat dads were too tough. Could you possibly be one??? I am a single mom who has worked hard the last 12 years to support my four sons because their (deadbeat) dad would rather spend his money on beer and liquor than his children. They should create a special program for deadbeat parents who don’t want to fufill their financial obligation to the children they created, where these deadbeats are given mandatory jobs, given a fair wage, and imprisoned, with all of their wages sent to the custodial parent until they are current, that way their length in prison is determined by how big of a deadbeat they really are :) Stereotyping, never has been, nor ever will be a smart thing to do Brian. Not all people who go to prison are bad people, some are even innocent (imagine that?), just as all illiterate people aren’t as disgusting and hateful as you are.
Dear Brian
whoever you may are you may live in a place where no one you have ever met or cared for has ever made a dumb or irrisponsible descision. My boyfriend made a careless discision when he was 21 and who has never done something irrisponsible when they were 21. I will admit that he has a problem with drinking. He is a first time offender of a non violent crime. He is serving 9 months for a parole violation. Right before he went to prison he was turning his life around he was enrolled in school and was working two jobs. This was never considered when he went to court . Neither was the fact that he was paying on his fines and going to counseling for alcholism, do you think its fair that none of this is considered . I feel that most judges feel that once bad is always bad . In this case he was wrong . I feel that sometime judges lack the interest to actually see the attempts and just sees the record . I think he was better off at home where he could see a counselor where now he cant get into a program without a huge waiting list . The over population makes it hard for people who deserve the chance to become successful individuals . Brian i would like you to come into the real world where sometimes people make mistakes and your ignorant judgmental ways only proove that you are hiding from some of your own mistakes. I hope one day you will wake up you might find someone that you would love someone unconditionally. Otherwise you may end up a very lonely person
ok here is my question i know im behind on support but im paying everything i can when ican i talk to my case worker all the time and keep in contact with them but here i am again getting picked up for non-support on 2 kids i am not allowed to see because my ex- will not let me see them at all because she doesnt want me to. i have a lot of bills she has racked up on me and there is nothing that can be done about it i did 6 months in prison for it the first time and when i was on probation and had a good job she called them every day after she found out where i work until i got fired… is that fair? now here i go again got picked up for non support and i have started my own company because i dont care if she calls then. i have a new family and a house im at risk of losing it all because of her my soon to be wife has a good job but will lose it all and her and her son will be homeless if i go to jail is that ok? the system sucks and its not right something needs to be done about this and they wonder why the ex-husbands do what they do when it goes this way… oh did i mention she lives in a $350,00+ house that was given to her and has 4 cars less than 2 years old and only 2 of them are licensed drivers in the house does that sound fair?
Big picture:
Our criminal justice system is horribly flawed. The assumption that adversarial debate leads to truth has been proven false. Our prison sentences are determined by legislative fiat rather than by any intelligent examination of whether the sentences make society better or worse. And prisons are barely controlled stockyards with confused purpose (are they to rehabilitate, punish, or just remove the offender?).
It all comes back to our legislators, who keep complicating existing laws while shying away from fixing the big problems. It’s their job to set fair tax rates and balance the budget; instead they require citizens to set tax rates (they’re the experts, but they defer to us amateurs). It’s their job, when they find out that over 240 death-row inmates have been PROVEN innocent, to dive in and clean out the cesspool that is our criminal justice system.
Quit voting for “government-is-bad” do-nothings!
Dr. Ruddick, you write, “It all comes back to our legislators …”
In my judgment, the fact that our legislators are so weak is a big indicator that our democracy is failing. We are very far from having a government for the people, because we are also very far from having a government of the people or by the people. Your advice — Quit voting for “government-is-bad” do-nothings! — sounds good, but a better advice is: Become an active participant in the political party of your choice.
Both political parties in Montgomery County are controlled by small cliques of individuals who are motivated by very narrow interests. And advancing strong candidates is not a priority. I wrote How Gerrymandering Defeated An Outstanding Candidate And Sent a Weak Candidate To Columbus that tells how a small clique of individuals saw to it that Roland Winburn became a state legislator for the 40th OHD rather than Vic Harris. The Party supported Winburn because “he had paid his dues.” He was a buddy to key members of the ruling clique and Fred Strahorn preferred setting up a grandpa at the verge of retirement as his potential future competitor, rather than a 46 year old retired Air Force Lt Colonel. The Party’s endorsement had nothing to do with seeking to advance the candidate who would be the strongest advocate for good ideas or for the common good.
By the time the November election rolled around, the average voter in the 40th OHD had no choice. And often voters in a general election really have no choice.
It is interesting that the current Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman, Mark Owens, maintains that when the party made an official endorsement in a primary contest — between two qualified candidates, in a district that votes 70% Democratic — it did the right thing. I write, Mark Owens Says Most Montgomery Dems Approve The Party’s Suppression Of Primary Participation
In next Spring’s (2010) primary, all 548 precincts in Montgomery County can elect a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Party’s Central Committee. This is the committee that controls the county party — starting with a reorganization meeting in which the County Chair is chosen. In 2006, only about 100 people showed up for the Reorganization Meeting to reelect Dennis Lieberman as Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairperson.
The Republican Party at their last reorganization, in 2008, elected 133 members (out of 548 possible.) The Republicans will reorganize again in 2012.
A vitalized party at the county level, both Democratic and Republican, could make a huge difference in who becomes state legislators.
i have plenty to say there isnt enough space why when a young girl says she was molested the defendent is considered guilty this is not innocent until proven guilty false accusations by angry young girls who are angry with their fathers or stepfathers or ex wives and girlfriends is at an epidemic level shame on judges who dont listen to the evidence before making up his mind giving the howard charge to intimadate the jury into finding an innocent man guilty that is the true crime in these cases
I agree that judges need to think about how bad the crime. My dad got nine months for selling perscription drugs to a friend that wore a wire. I think he should have got at least 60 days then probation or something . Its not like he was giving them out to little kids or anything. That and he has heart problems and 2 disks in his back out thats not where he should be for 9 months because he had other things in his background … I think they really need to think about things and the long term affect that it has on everyone including how crowded the jails are…. But the people that rape or anything else bad like that can stay in they dont deserve to be out if they do it once they will do it again ….. in most cases …..
I believe people need to be punished for their crimes !
But I don’t see where the rehabilitation is putting a sex offender or a murdrer with someone who was a violent offender due to alcoholism?
After years served in a confined place to learn more harm than good then to be set free is NOT the answer!
interesting reading, good thing we aren’t held accountable for our thoughts, here are mine, PV release them, drug dealers, tax them, deadbeat dads, can’t pay if they are incarcerated, so hang them
My husband of 40 years got a 9 years sentence on a crime he did not commit. This was the first time he has been in any kind of trouble his whole life.Would not take a plea bargin, passed a poly graph test (that could not be used as evedience) and was still found guilty. After a juror knew the prosecuting detective and told the judge 10 minutes before the verdict was read. The judge said it was not a miss trial. I am 60 years old he is 62 we have lost our whole life saving with paying lawyers and trying to get some justice. He has a bad heart and I have cancer. NO ONE will listen to anything we say and can prove. Our justice system is just plane screwed up.
My son went prison for 10 years for robbing a drug dealer. The drug dealer is still selling drugs. He had just turned 18. His time is flat so the earliest he can come out is 29yrs. My husband and I would go to columbus and picket anytime. The laws have to change!! I think the judges get kick backs from the prison systems on every person they put in, because if they wasn’t they wouldn’t be so prison happy.
Hi Mike Bock–
You want me to get involved in a political party? Sorry, I intend to remain independent and to vote for candidates, not parties.
My view: we’d be better off with a European parliamentary system, where more than two parties contend and are elected proportionally, than our two-party winner-take-all system.
Party of my choice? Both of them offend me. The Republicans have done it more often lately, but there are some Democrats I’d vote against on principle.
Thx, this has definitely made my day!
_______________________
wtf
Here is a cost saver for you. In Medina County a young pregnant lady was caught shoplifting at a local store. Instead of maybe giving the young lady community control the cost conscious Judge gave her one year in prison. Now for a minor crime the State of Ohio will have to pay not only for one year of incarceration for the young lady, but will have to pay all of the medical for the birth of her baby and for one year of care for the child, since the baby will be kept with the mother in prison for one year after birth. This will most likely cost the State of Ohio close to $150,000 to punish a minor shoplifting charge. To make the situation more absurd her father is a Police Lieutenant and her family was willing to take responsibility for her and her new child if she had not been sent to prison. It is time we start holding our Judges responsible for helping controlling the cost of our prison system.
I think the whole justice system is messed up. You have the ones out there that snitch on people and get away with the crime they did because they were a snitch. Instead of looking at the evidence they just go by that persons word. But yet they were involved in the crime that they said the other person did and gets off with a smack on the hand. So if you ask me, I think that the person who snitched should get the same amount of time as the other person did. But the judges or the lawyers never look at that, they just want to send someone away, even though there was no evidence that they did it. They just had someone saying that a certain person did it. So if anything that person should go to prison. I hope someday that someone will change the saying beyond a reasonable doubt. Because that is never true. Especially when there is no evidence.
The main reason for prison overcrowding? People continue to violate the laws.
That is the reason for prison overcrowding.