Edward Rhine, Deputy Director Office of Offender Reentry Ohio Department of Rehabilitation

1. State Responses to Mass Incarceration: Ohio Strategies Aimed at Balancing Public Safety while Reducing Correctional Costs Edward Rhine, Deputy Director Office of Offender Reentry Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction National Institute of Justice Conference June 21, 2011

2. Recent Trends Relative to Prison Population Growth Recent Indicators of Declining Growth Do Not Portend Rapid Reduction in U.S. Prison Population Continuing Fiscal Crisis Putting Pressure on Sentencing and Correctional Practices Across States Responses and Strategies Adopted Will (and Already Do) Reflect Substantial State-by-State Variation

3. The Scale & Breadth of Ohio’s Correctional Infrastructure • Prison System 6th Largest in Nation at 50, 000+Operating at 132% Capacity • Rate of Incarceration in Middle Range-Ohio at 32 • In FY 2008, Corrections Represented 7.3% of General Fund Spending.

4. ODRC Institutions and Parole Regions • ODRC Operates 31 Prisons, 2 Private Facilities • Admissions in CY 2010 = 23,191 • Releases From Prison in CY 2010 = 24,441 • Adult Parole Authority Supervises 27,339 Offenders in 7 Regions (11,121 Parole/PRC)

5. Offenders Under Community Sanctions Programs • Ohio Has Extensive Network of State-Funded Community Corrections Programs in Lieu of Jail or Prison • In FY 2010, $136.6M Invested in CBCFs, HWHs, and CCA Prison-Jail Diversion Programs • At End of 2009, 254,949 Supervised on Felony or Misdemeanor Probation.

6. Confronting Budgetary Realities • ODRC-3rd Largest Budget in Ohio State Government • Confronting Severe Budgetary Constraints in Fiscal Years 2012 – 2013

7. Maintaining the Status Quo: What If? Ohio’ Prison Population Increased by 9%, from 2000 to 2010 with Fastest Growth Occurring in Last Six Years When Population Spiked 12%. Designed to House 38,000, DRC Now Holds Close to 51,000 – 133% Capacity. If Status Quo, Prison Population Will Rise to 52,164 in FY 12 to 53,848 in FY 15…Pushing to 140% Capacity. Net Costs Beyond Current Operational Costs Will Increase Cumulatively to $36M.

8. Justice Reinvestment and Sentencing Reform in Ohio • State has Pursued Sentencing Reforms for Nearly a Decade • Since 2008 Beneficiary of JR Report and Comprehensive Recommendations (Issued in 2010) • Legislation Nearing Approval to Amend Provisions in Sentencing Code

9. Justice Reinvestment in Ohio: Recommendations • CSG-JR Issued a Policy Framework Highlighting 3 Goals & 13 Policies • Manage the Growth of the Prison Population and Reduce Spending on Corrections • Improve Cost-Effectiveness of Existing CJ Resources • Reinvest in Strategies That Can Increase Public Safety

10. Manage Prison Population Growth and Spending – Hold Offenders Accountable • 1st Time Property/Drug Offenders Serve Probation/Attend Treatment • Raise Maximum Sentence for Serious/Violent Crimes & Provide Judges More Options in Sentencing Lower Level Offenders • Provide Judges With a Risk Reduction Sentencing Option to Encourage Program Participation • Mandate All High Risk Offenders Leaving Prison Receive Period of Supervision • Study and Recommend Improvements in Restitution Collections

11. Improve Cost-Effectiveness of Existing CJ Resources – Smarter Use of Community Correction Programs • Adopt Common Risk Assessment Instruments Across State’s CJS (ORAS) • Sentence Only Offenders to CBCF’s Who Research Show Will be Less Likely to Reoffend After Participating in Program • Make More Effective Use of CCA Prison Diversion Programs Ensuring EBP Tied to Supervision-Services

12. Reinvest in Strategies That Can Increase Public Safety – Strengthen Probation • Establish Statewide Standards for Probation Supervision • Provide Funding/Incentives to Improve Felony Probation Supervision and Increase Success • Reduce Duplication of Supervision Resources • Require Swift Violation Hearings • Collect Uniform Data

13. Projected Impact of CSG-JR Policy Framework If Enacted By July 1, 2011 • As of December 2010, – Prison Population Stood at 50,987 – Projected by FY 2015 at 53,858 • JRI – Prison Population Reduced to 49,230 by FY 2015 • Policies Ease Prison Crowding – Generate $62M in Marginal Savings • JRI – Strengthens Probation By Reinvesting $20M over 4 Years with 10% Recidivism Reduction Goal

14. Key Provisions of Sentencing Code Reforms – Beds saved • Foster Decision (1,000 Beds) • Earned Credit (530 Beds) • Increase in Theft Threshold (440 Beds) • DRC Petition of 85% Judicial Release (360 Beds) • Equalization of Crack/Powder Penalties (267 Beds) • Mandatory Drug Provisions (140 Beds) • Non-Payment of Child Support (100 Beds) • Absconding/Escape From Supervision (50 Beds) • Treatment in Lieu of Intervention (31 Beds)

15. Combined Impact of CSG-JR Recommendations and Sentencing Reforms Dramatic • If CSG Framework and Sentencing Reform Proposals are Passed in HB 86 - Prison Population will be Reduced From 53,848 to 46,820 by FY 15 – Net Savings Nearly $46.8M in Operational Funds • Reduction of Prison Beds = 7,028

17. CSG-JR Reinforces Reentry Momentum in Ohio and the Adoption of EBP • Bi-Partisan, Decade-Long Commitment to Reentry in ODRC and Community Corrections • Durable and Growing Commitment to Incorporating EBP Principles and Practices Across State • Major Studies (2002; 2005; 2010) by University of Cincinnati Showing Impact of EBP-Driven Community-Based Correctional Programming

18. Investments in EBP and Reentry Will Contribute to CSG-JR’s Sustainability • Use of Progressive Sanctions Grid in Responding to Violation Behavior • EBP Reform in Adult Parole Authority Regions Targeting Recidivism Reductions • Ohio Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition and Local Reentry Coalitions

19. The Future of Corrections in Ohio: A Forecast • CSG-JR Framework/Recommendations Likely to Exert Substantial Impact Over Next Decade on Community Corrections • Trends Moving Toward Correctional Reform Show Prospects for Sustainability – Not Driven Solely by Economic Downturn