Executive Order 2019-25D Governor's Working Group on Post-Release Control
Executive Order
WHEREAS, Ohio is a second chance State and it is vital that we make decisions based on victim rights, public safety, and offender rehabilitation; and
WHEREAS, the vast majority of people who are currently incarcerated in our State will be released back to their community at some point; and
WHEREAS, every citizen in the State benefits when a person comes out of prison as a healthy and productive member of society; and
WHEREAS, post-release control is a period of supervision of an offender by the Adult Parole Authority ("APA") following release from imprisonment that includes one or more post-release control sanctions imposed by the Parole Board;
NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike DeWine, Governor of the State of Ohio, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of this State do hereby order and direct that:
1. The Governor's Working Group on Post-Release Control ("Working Group") is hereby created to review and recommend improvements to the State's post-release control services. The Working Group shall consist of at least nine (9) individuals, all of whom I will appoint and will serve at my pleasure. I will designate the Co-Chairpersons of the Working Group.
2. In studying, discussing, and making recommendations to improve the current system of post-release control in Ohio, the Governor's Working Group on Post-Release Control will:
Recommend a state-wide policy that applies to the use of GPS by all supervision agencies and addresses the following:
Types of offenders,
Responses to violations;
Length of monitoring, and
Review statutory requirements and make recommendations to align with the state-wide policy recommendations;
Review current caseload sizes and make recommendations for caseload sizes per supervision type and supervision level;
Review assessment of APA policies conducted by the technical assistance team provided by the National Institute of Corrections and determine findings to be incorporated into the recommendations;
Determine whether the Ohio Risk Assessment System ("ORAS") is used appropriately, still valid and the best tool to use state-wide;
Examine other available risk assessment tools;
Review the impact of "Truth in Sentencing" on the State prison system and supervision; and
Review the role and use of Halfway Houses.
3. The Working Group shall be staffed by the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, which shall provide the support and resources necessary for the Working Group to fulfill its obligations as outlined in this Executive Order, in coordination with the Office of the Governor. This shall include space to gather and consider information necessary for developing the recommendations and report called for in this Order.
4. Members of the Working Group shall serve without compensation.
5. Upon completion of these recommendations, the Working Group shall meet no less than quarterly to access and provide guidance to carry out the recommendations.
I signed this Executive Order on October 28, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio and it will not expire unless it is rescinded.
Mike DeWine, Governor
ATTEST:
Frank LaRose, Secretary of State
Source