Learn Ohio Jail Inmate Details

Individuals sentenced to state prison in Ohio are received by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction then processed at one of three reception centers, based on the inmate's gender and the county where the crime was committed. The Ohio Reformatory for Women, which is located in Marysville, is responsible for intake processing of female inmates who are sentenced to serve an incarceration period within an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) facility. Male inmates are sent to an appointed intake center based on their county of commitment. Male offenders in the 25 counties in the northern part of Ohio are processed at Lorain Correctional Institution, located in Grafton, Ohio. The male inmates from the other 63 counties are processed at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio.

Processing of the Inmates

After inmates are admitted to their appointed Ohio DRC reception center, they are fingerprinted and photographed as part of the identification process. Dental, eye, and other physical examinations are conducted at reception centers. These examinations are performed so that the inmates can be taken to the medical centers in case of any health problems; they also serve the purpose of evaluating the inmates' education and intelligence levels. Interviews are conducted with the offenders to gather relevant information, such as family structure, drug and alcohol involvement, criminal and social behavior, military and institutional experience, and employment and education history. More information on these evaluations is available at http://www.drc.ohio.gov/web/reception_processing.htm.

Breakdown of the Reception Process

The first day of an inmate's reception proceeds as follows:

* Inmate received from the conveying agency and strip searched.
* Institution Identification Number is assigned to the inmate after the review of commitment papers and the records that are received by the office personnel.
* Property search of the inmate.
* Personal hygiene items and clothing are issued from the vault.
* Profile photos to be taken, identification badges are issued, emergency notification data entered into computer data system.
* Medical intake history, TB test, and initial mental health evaluations are conducted.
* Inmate is assigned to intake history, issued a handbook, and proceeds through general orientation.

Of the inmates in Ohio correctional facilities who were convicted of the most serious crimes, approximately 28% of these offenders incarcerated for drug related crimes; 16% were convicted of miscellaneous property offenses such as theft, arson, receiving stolen property, and breaking and entering; about 24% were convicted for crimes against persons such as assault, robbery, domestic violence, and homicide-related offenses; 8% were convicted for burglary; and 7% were incarcerated for sex offenses such as gross sexual imposition and rape. The remaining individuals were incarcerated for fraud, motor vehicle and firearm offenses, and offenses against justice or public administration and other felonies.

The Ohio DRC's statistics reveal that almost 80% of the inmates are high school dropouts. Almost 30% of the males and 20% of the females read at less than a 6th grade level and are treated as functionally illiterate.

Inmate Transfer Between Institutions

The inmates who are under the supervision of the Ohio DRC must adhere to the Department's guidelines regarding transfers between institutions. To request a transfer to another correctional facility, an inmate must first file the formal request in writing to the case manager. The inmate's request is send to the unit classification committee by the case manager. The classification committee conducts an interview to determine the inmate's eligibility for transfer. The request is then forwarded to the Central Office of the Bureau of Classification. The Bureau investigates the request to determine final approval and to see if transfer is possible. In cases where the warden denies an inmate’s request, the inmate may appeal in written format to the Bureau of Classification.

Inmate transfer requests are considered for visiting hardships, continuation of education, program participation, conflict with another inmate, or medical reasons. Inmates can only transfer if the new facility has the space for another inmate at the appropriate security level. An inmate's security level is determined by his or her current age, severity of the crime, prior offenses, most recent violence, gang activity before going to jail, and past escape attempts.

If an inmate is not satisfied with the warden's response, he or she may appeal to the Rules Infraction Board. If the inmate is still not satisfied, he or she can appeal to the Director’s Office for a review of the case.

One can contact the Central Office of the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction at 770 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43222. Phone: 614 752 1159. E-mail: drc.publicinfo@odrc.state.oh.us