Chapter 2967 | Pardon; Parole; Probation

Section 2967.01 | Pardon - parole - probation definitions.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 201 - 132nd General Assembly

As used in this chapter:

(A) "State correctional institution" includes any institution or facility that is operated by the department of rehabilitation and correction and that is used for the custody, care, or treatment of criminal, delinquent, or psychologically or psychiatrically disturbed offenders.

(B) "Pardon" means the remission of penalty by the governor in accordance with the power vested in the governor by the constitution.

(C) "Commutation" or "commutation of sentence" means the substitution by the governor of a lesser for a greater punishment. A stated prison term may be commuted without the consent of the convict, except when granted upon the acceptance and performance by the convict of conditions precedent. After commutation, the commuted prison term shall be the only one in existence. The commutation may be stated in terms of commuting from a named offense to a lesser included offense with a shorter prison term, in terms of commuting from a stated prison term in months and years to a shorter prison term in months and years, or in terms of commuting from any other stated prison term to a shorter prison term.

(D) "Reprieve" means the temporary suspension by the governor of the execution of a sentence or prison term. The governor may grant a reprieve without the consent of and against the will of the convict.

(E) "Parole" means, regarding a prisoner who is serving a prison term for aggravated murder or murder, who is serving a prison term of life imprisonment for rape or for felonious sexual penetration as it existed under section 2907.12 of the Revised Code prior to September 3, 1996, or who was sentenced prior to July 1, 1996, a release of the prisoner from confinement in any state correctional institution by the adult parole authority that is subject to the eligibility criteria specified in this chapter and that is under the terms and conditions, and for the period of time, prescribed by the authority in its published rules and official minutes or required by division (A) of section 2967.131 of the Revised Code or another provision of this chapter.

(F) "Head of a state correctional institution" or "head of the institution" means the resident head of the institution and the person immediately in charge of the institution, whether designated warden, superintendent, or any other name by which the head is known.

(G) "Convict" means a person who has been convicted of a felony under the laws of this state, whether or not actually confined in a state correctional institution, unless the person has been pardoned or has served the person's sentence or prison term.

(H) "Prisoner" means a person who is in actual confinement in a state correctional institution.

(I) "Parolee" means any inmate who has been released from confinement on parole by order of the adult parole authority or conditionally pardoned, who is under supervision of the adult parole authority and has not been granted a final release, and who has not been declared in violation of the inmate's parole by the authority or is performing the prescribed conditions of a conditional pardon.

(J) "Releasee" means an inmate who has been released from confinement pursuant to section 2967.28 of the Revised Code under a period of post-release control that includes one or more post-release control sanctions.

(K) "Final release" means a remission by the adult parole authority of the balance of the sentence or prison term of a parolee or prisoner or the termination by the authority of a term of post-release control of a releasee.

(L) "Parole violator" or "release violator" means any parolee or releasee who has been declared to be in violation of the condition of parole or post-release control specified in division (A) or (B) of section 2967.131 of the Revised Code or in violation of any other term, condition, or rule of the parolee's or releasee's parole or of the parolee's or releasee's post-release control sanctions, the determination of which has been made by the adult parole authority and recorded in its official minutes.

(M) "Administrative release" means a termination of jurisdiction over a particular sentence or prison term by the adult parole authority for administrative convenience.

(N) "Post-release control" means a period of supervision by the adult parole authority after a prisoner's release from imprisonment, other than under a term of life imprisonment, that includes one or more post-release control sanctions imposed under section 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

(O) "Post-release control sanction" means a sanction that is authorized under sections 2929.16 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code and that is imposed upon a prisoner upon the prisoner's release from a prison term other than a term of life imprisonment.

(P) "Community control sanction," "prison term," "mandatory prison term," and "stated prison term" have the same meanings as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(Q) "Transitional control" means control of a prisoner under the transitional control program established by the department of rehabilitation and correction under section 2967.26 of the Revised Code, if the department establishes a program of that nature under that section.

(R) "Random drug testing" has the same meaning as in section 5120.63 of the Revised Code.

(S) "Non-life felony indefinite prison term" has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 2967.02 | Administration by adult parole authority.

• Effective: January 1, 2004
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 490 - 124th General Assembly

(A) The adult parole authority created by section 5149.02 of the Revised Code shall administer sections 2967.01 to 2967.28 of the Revised Code, and other sections of the Revised Code governing pardon, community control sanctions, post-release control, and parole.

(B) The governor may grant a pardon after conviction, may grant an absolute and entire pardon or a partial pardon, and may grant a pardon upon conditions precedent or subsequent.

(C) The adult parole authority shall supervise all parolees. The department of rehabilitation and correction has legal custody of a parolee until the authority grants the parolee a final release pursuant to section 2967.16 of the Revised Code.

(D) The department of rehabilitation and correction has legal custody of a releasee until the adult parole authority grants the releasee a final release pursuant to section 2967.16 of the Revised Code.

Section 2967.021 | Application of chapter before and after 7-1-96.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 201 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) Chapter 2967. of the Revised Code, as it existed prior to July 1, 1996, applies to a person upon whom a court imposed a term of imprisonment prior to July 1, 1996, and a person upon whom a court, on or after July 1, 1996, and in accordance with law existing prior to July 1, 1996, imposed a term of imprisonment for an offense that was committed prior to July 1, 1996.

(B) Chapter 2967. of the Revised Code, as it exists on and after July 1, 1996, applies to a person upon whom a court imposed a stated prison term for an offense committed on or after July 1, 1996, subject to division (C) of this section.

(C) Section 2967.271 of the Revised Code, and other provisions of Chapter 2967. of the Revised Code, as they exist on and after the effective date of this amendment , apply to a person who is sentenced to a non-life felony indefinite prison term.

Section 2967.03 | Duties and powers as to pardon, commutation, reprieve or parole.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 201 - 132nd General Assembly

The adult parole authority may exercise its functions and duties in relation to the pardon, commutation of sentence, or reprieve of a convict upon direction of the governor or upon its own initiative. It may exercise its functions and duties in relation to the parole of a prisoner who is eligible for parole upon the initiative of the head of the institution in which the prisoner is confined or upon its own initiative. When a prisoner becomes eligible for parole, the head of the institution in which the prisoner is confined shall notify the authority in the manner prescribed by the authority. The authority may investigate and examine, or cause the investigation and examination of, prisoners confined in state correctional institutions concerning their conduct in the institutions, their mental and moral qualities and characteristics, their knowledge of a trade or profession, their former means of livelihood, their family relationships, and any other matters affecting their fitness to be at liberty without being a threat to society.

The authority may recommend to the governor the pardon, commutation of sentence, or reprieve of any convict or prisoner or grant a parole to any prisoner for whom parole is authorized, if in its judgment there is reasonable ground to believe that granting a pardon, commutation, or reprieve to the convict or paroling the prisoner would further the interests of justice and be consistent with the welfare and security of society. However, the authority shall not recommend a pardon or commutation of sentence, or grant a parole to, any convict or prisoner until the authority has complied with the applicable notice requirements of sections 2930.16 and 2967.12 of the Revised Code and until it has considered any statement made by a victim or a victim's representative that is relevant to the convict's or prisoner's case and that was sent to the authority pursuant to section 2930.17 of the Revised Code, any other statement made by a victim or a victim's representative that is relevant to the convict's or prisoner's case and that was received by the authority after it provided notice of the pendency of the action under sections 2930.16 and 2967.12 of the Revised Code, and any written statement of any person submitted to the court pursuant to division (I) of section 2967.12 of the Revised Code. If a victim, victim's representative, or the victim's spouse, parent, sibling, or child appears at a full board hearing of the parole board and gives testimony as authorized by section 5149.101 of the Revised Code, the authority shall consider the testimony in determining whether to grant a parole. The trial judge and prosecuting attorney of the trial court in which a person was convicted shall furnish to the authority, at the request of the authority, a summarized statement of the facts proved at the trial and of all other facts having reference to the propriety of recommending a pardon or commutation or granting a parole, together with a recommendation for or against a pardon, commutation, or parole, and the reasons for the recommendation. The trial judge, the prosecuting attorney, specified law enforcement agency members, and a representative of the prisoner may appear at a full board hearing of the parole board and give testimony in regard to the grant of a parole to the prisoner as authorized by section 5149.101 of the Revised Code. All state and local officials shall furnish information to the authority, when so requested by it in the performance of its duties.

The adult parole authority shall exercise its functions and duties in relation to the release of prisoners who are serving a definite prison term as a stated prison term in accordance with section 2967.28 of the Revised Code, and the authority and the department of rehabilitation and correction shall exercise their functions and duties in relation to the release of prisoners who are serving a non-life felony indefinite prison term as a stated prison term in accordance with sections 2967.271 and 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

Section 2967.04 | Pardons and commutations.

• Effective: April 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly

(A) A pardon or commutation may be granted upon such conditions precedent or subsequent as the governor may impose, which conditions shall be stated in the warrant. Such pardon or commutation shall not take effect until the conditions so imposed are accepted by the convict or prisoner so pardoned or having a sentence commuted, and the convict's or prisoner's acceptance is indorsed upon the warrant, signed by the prisoner or convict, and attested by one witness. Such witness shall go before the clerk of the court of common pleas in whose office the sentence is recorded and prove the signature of the convict. The clerk shall thereupon record the warrant, indorsement, and proof in the journal of the court, which record, or a duly certified transcript thereof, shall be evidence of such pardon or commutation, the conditions thereof, and the acceptance of the conditions.

(B) An unconditional pardon relieves the person to whom it is granted of all disabilities arising out of the conviction or convictions from which it is granted. For purposes of this section, "unconditional pardon" includes a conditional pardon with respect to which all conditions have been performed or have transpired.

(C) In the case of an unconditional pardon, the governor may include as a condition of the pardon that records related to the conviction be sealed as if the records are related to an offense that is eligible to be sealed. The governor may issue a writ for the records related to the pardoned conviction or convictions to be sealed. However, such a writ shall not seal the records required to be kept under division (E) of section 107.10 of the Revised Code and shall not have any impact on the governor's office or on reports required to be made under law. Other than the records required to be kept under division (E) of section 107.10 of the Revised Code, no records of the governor's office related to a pardon that have been sealed under this division are subject to public inspection unless directed by the governor. Inspection of the records or disclosure of information contained in the records may be made pursuant to division (A) of section 2953.34 of the Revised Code or as the governor may direct. A disclosure of records sealed under a writ issued by the governor is not a criminal offense.

Last updated March 8, 2023 at 12:07 PM

Section 2967.05 | Release as if on parole of dying prisoner.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Imminent danger of death" means that the inmate has a medically diagnosable condition that will cause death to occur within a short period of time.

As used in division (A)(1) of this section, "within a short period of time" means generally within six months.

(2)(a) "Medically incapacitated" means any diagnosable medical condition, including mental dementia and severe, permanent medical or cognitive disability, that prevents the inmate from completing activities of daily living without significant assistance, that incapacitates the inmate to the extent that institutional confinement does not offer additional restrictions, that is likely to continue throughout the entire period of parole, and that is unlikely to improve noticeably.

(b) "Medically incapacitated" does not include conditions related solely to mental illness unless the mental illness is accompanied by injury, disease, or organic defect.

(3)(a) "Terminal illness" means a condition that satisfies all of the following criteria:

(i) The condition is irreversible and incurable and is caused by disease, illness, or injury from which the inmate is unlikely to recover.

(ii) In accordance with reasonable medical standards and a reasonable degree of medical certainty, the condition is likely to cause death to the inmate within twelve months.

(iii) Institutional confinement of the inmate does not offer additional protections for public safety or against the inmate's risk to reoffend.

(b) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement the definition of "terminal illness" in division (A)(3)(a) of this section.

(B) Upon the recommendation of the director of rehabilitation and correction, accompanied by a certificate of the attending physician that an inmate is terminally ill, medically incapacitated, or in imminent danger of death, the governor may order the inmate's release as if on parole, reserving the right to return the inmate to the institution pursuant to this section. If, subsequent to the inmate's release, the inmate's health improves so that the inmate is no longer terminally ill, medically incapacitated, or in imminent danger of death, the inmate shall be returned, by order of the governor, to the institution from which the inmate was released. If the inmate violates any rules or conditions applicable to the inmate, the inmate may be returned to an institution under the control of the department of rehabilitation and correction. The governor may direct the adult parole authority to investigate or cause to be investigated the inmate and make a recommendation. An inmate released under this section shall be subject to supervision by the adult parole authority in accordance with any recommendation of the adult parole authority that is approved by the governor. The adult parole authority shall adopt rules pursuant to section 119.03 of the Revised Code to establish the procedure for medical release of an inmate when an inmate is terminally ill, medically incapacitated, or in imminent danger of death.

(C) No inmate is eligible for release under this section if the inmate is serving a death sentence, a sentence of life without parole, a sentence under Chapter 2971. of the Revised Code for a felony of the first or second degree, a sentence for aggravated murder or murder, or a mandatory prison term for an offense of violence or any specification described in Chapter 2941. of the Revised Code.

Section 2967.06 | Form of warrants of pardon and commutation.

• Effective: March 18, 1965
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 28 - 105th General Assembly

Warrants of pardon and commutation shall be issued in triplicate, one to be given to the convict, one to be filed with the clerk of the court of common pleas in whose office the sentence is recorded, and one to be filed with the head of the institution in which the convict was confined, in case he was confined.

All warrants of pardon, whether conditional or otherwise, shall be recorded by said clerk and the officer of the institution with whom such warrants and copies are filed, in a book provided for that purpose, which record shall include the indorsements on such warrants. A copy of such a warrant with all indorsements, certified by said clerk under seal, shall be received in evidence as proof of the facts set forth in such copy with indorsements.

Section 2967.07 | Written applications for pardon, commutation of sentence, or reprieve.

• Effective: March 18, 1965
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 28 - 105th General Assembly

All applications for pardon, commutation of sentence, or reprieve shall be made in writing to the adult parole authority. Upon the filing of such application, or when directed by the governor in any case, a thorough investigation into the propriety of granting a pardon, commutation, or reprieve shall be made by the authority, which shall report in writing to the governor a brief statement of the facts in the case, together with the recommendation of the authority for or against the granting of a pardon, commutation, or reprieve, the grounds therefor and the records or minutes relating to the case.

Section 2967.08 | Reprieve for definite time to person under sentence of death.

• Effective: March 18, 1965
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 28 - 105th General Assembly

The governor may grant a reprieve for a definite time to a person under sentence of death, with or without notices or application.

Section 2967.09 | Filing warrant of reprieve with sentencing court.

• Effective: March 18, 1965
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 28 - 105th General Assembly

On receiving a warrant of reprieve, the head of the institution, sheriff, or other officer having custody of the person reprieved, shall file it forthwith with the clerk of the court of common pleas in which the sentence is recorded, who shall thereupon record the warrant in the journal of the court.

Section 2967.10 | Confinement during reprieve.

• Effective: October 6, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 571 - 120th General Assembly

When the governor directs in a warrant of reprieve that the prisoner be confined in a state correctional institution for the time of the reprieve or any part thereof, the sheriff or other officer having the prisoner in custody shall convey him to the state correctional institution in the manner provided for the conveyance of convicts, and the warden shall receive the prisoner and warrant and proceed as the warrant directs. At the expiration of the time specified in the warrant for the confinement of the prisoner in the state correctional institution, the warden shall deal with him according to the sentence as originally imposed, or as modified by executive clemency as shown by a new warrant of pardon, commutation, or reprieve executed by the governor.

Section 2967.12 | Notice of pendency of pardon, commutation, or parole sent to prosecutor and court.

• Effective: April 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (G) of this section, at least sixty days before the adult parole authority recommends any pardon or commutation of sentence, or grants any parole, the authority shall provide a notice of the pendency of the pardon, commutation, or parole, setting forth the name of the person on whose behalf it is made, the offense of which the person was convicted or to which the person pleaded guilty, the time of conviction or the guilty plea, and the term of the person's sentence, to the prosecuting attorney and the judge of the court of common pleas of the county in which the indictment against the person was found. If there is more than one judge of that court of common pleas, the authority shall provide the notice to the presiding judge. Upon the request of the prosecuting attorney or of any law enforcement agency, the authority shall provide to the requesting prosecuting attorney and law enforcement agencies an institutional summary report that covers the subject person's participation while confined in a state correctional institution in training, work, and other rehabilitative activities and any disciplinary action taken against the person while so confined. The department of rehabilitation and correction may utilize electronic means to provide this notice. The department of rehabilitation and correction, at the same time that it provides the notice to the prosecuting attorney and judge under this division, also shall post on the database it maintains pursuant to section 5120.66 of the Revised Code the offender's name and all of the information specified in division (A)(1)(c)(iii) of that section.

(B) If a request for notification has been made pursuant to section 2930.16 of the Revised Code or if division (H) of this section applies, the office of victim services or the adult parole authority also shall provide notice to the victim or the victim's representative at least sixty days prior to recommending any pardon or commutation of sentence for, or granting any parole to, the person. The notice shall include the information required by division (A) of this section and may be provided by telephone or through electronic means. The notice also shall inform the victim or the victim's representative that the victim or representative may send a written statement relative to the victimization and the pending action to the adult parole authority and that, if the authority receives any written statement prior to recommending a pardon or commutation or granting a parole for a person, the authority will consider the statement before it recommends a pardon or commutation or grants a parole. If the person is being considered for parole, the notice shall inform the victim or the victim's representative that a full board hearing of the parole board may be held and that the victim or victim's representative may contact the office of victims' services for further information. If the person being considered for parole was convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of section 2903.01 or 2903.02 of the Revised Code, an offense of violence that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, or an offense punished by a sentence of life imprisonment, the notice shall inform the victim of that offense, the victim's representative, or a member of the victim's immediate family that the victim, the victim's representative, and the victim's immediate family have the right to give testimony at a full board hearing of the parole board and that the victim or victim's representative may contact the office of victims' services for further information.

(C) When notice of the pendency of any pardon, commutation of sentence, or parole has been provided to a judge or prosecutor or posted on the database as required in division (A) of this section and a hearing on the pardon, commutation, or parole is continued to a date certain, the authority shall provide notice of the further consideration of the pardon, commutation, or parole at least sixty days before the further consideration. The notice of the further consideration shall be provided to the proper judge and prosecuting attorney at least sixty days before the further consideration, and may be provided using electronic means, and, if the initial notice was posted on the database as provided in division (A) of this section, the notice of the further consideration shall be posted on the database at least sixty days before the further consideration. If the prosecuting attorney or a law enforcement agency was provided a copy of the institutional summary report relative to the subject person under division (A) of this section, the authority shall include with the notice of the further consideration sent to the prosecuting attorney any new information with respect to the person that relates to activities and actions of the person that are of a type covered by the report and shall send to the law enforcement agency a report that provides notice of the further consideration and includes any such new information with respect to the person. When notice of the pendency of any pardon, commutation, or parole has been given as provided in division (B) of this section and the hearing on it is continued to a date certain, the authority shall give notice of the further consideration to the victim or the victim's representative in accordance with section 2930.03 of the Revised Code.

(D) In case of an application for the pardon or commutation of sentence of a person sentenced to capital punishment, the governor may modify the requirements of notification and publication if there is not sufficient time for compliance with the requirements before the date fixed for the execution of sentence.

(E) If an offender is serving a prison term imposed under division (A)(3), (B)(1)(a), (b), or (c), (B)(2)(a), (b), or (c), or (B)(3)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of section 2971.03 of the Revised Code and if the parole board terminates its control over the offender's service of that term pursuant to section 2971.04 of the Revised Code, the parole board immediately shall provide written notice of its termination of control or the transfer of control to the entities and persons specified in section 2971.04 of the Revised Code.

(F) The failure of the adult parole authority to comply with the notice or posting provisions of division (A), (B), or (C) of this section or the failure of the parole board to comply with the notice provisions of division (E) of this section do not give any rights or any grounds for appeal or post-conviction relief to the person serving the sentence.

(G) Divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section do not apply to any release of a person that is of the type described in division (B)(2)(b) of section 5120.031 of the Revised Code.

(H) If a defendant is incarcerated for the commission of aggravated murder, murder, or an offense of violence that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree or is under a sentence of life imprisonment, except as otherwise provided in this division, the notice described in division (B) of this section shall be given to the victim or victim's representative regardless of whether the victim or victim's representative has made a request for notification. The notice described in division (B) of this section shall not be given under this division to a victim or victim's representative if the victim or victim's representative has requested pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 2930.03 of the Revised Code that the victim or the victim's representative not be provided the notice. The notice described in division (B) of this section does not have to be given under this division to a victim or victim's representative if notice was given to the victim or victim's representative with respect to at least two prior considerations of pardon, commutation, or parole of a person and the victim or victim's representative did not provide any written statement relative to the victimization and the pending action, did not attend any hearing conducted relative to the pending action, and did not otherwise respond to the office with respect to the pending action. Regardless of whether the victim or victim's representative has requested that the notice described in division (B) of this section be provided or not be provided, the office of victim services or adult parole authority shall give similar notice to the law enforcement agency that arrested the defendant if any officer of that agency was a victim of the offense and to any member of the victim's immediate family who requests notification. If notice is to be given under this division, the office or authority may give the notice by any reasonable means, including regular mail, telephone, and electronic mail, in accordance with division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. If the notice is based on an offense committed prior to March 22, 2013, the notice to the victim or victim's representative also shall include the opt-out information described in division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. The office or authority, in accordance with division (D)(2) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code, shall keep a record of all attempts to provide the notice, and of all notices provided, under this division.

Division (H) of this section, and the notice-related provisions of divisions (E)(2) and (K) of section 2929.20, division (D)(1) of section 2930.16, division (E)(1)(b) of section 2967.19 as it existed prior to the effective date of this amendment, division (A)(3)(b) of section 2967.26, division (D)(1) of section 2967.28, and division (A)(2) of section 5149.101 of the Revised Code enacted in the act in which division (H) of this section was enacted, shall be known as "Roberta's Law."

(I) In addition to and independent of the right of a victim to make a statement as described in division (A) of this section or pursuant to section 2930.17 of the Revised Code or to otherwise make a statement, the authority for a judge or prosecuting attorney to furnish statements and information, make recommendations, and give testimony as described in division (A) of this section, the right of a prosecuting attorney, judge, or victim to give testimony or submit a statement at a full parole board hearing pursuant to section 5149.101 of the Revised Code, and any other right or duty of a person to present information or make a statement, any person may send to the adult parole authority at any time prior to the authority's recommending a pardon or commutation or granting a parole for the offender a written statement relative to the offense and the pending action.

(J) As used in this section, "victim's immediate family" means the mother, father, spouse, sibling, or child of the victim, provided that in no case does "victim's immediate family" include the offender with respect to whom the notice in question applies.

Last updated January 25, 2023 at 11:29 AM

Section 2967.121 | Notice of early release of certain felons sent to prosecutorand sheriff.

• Effective: March 20, 2019
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 231 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) Subject to division (D) of this section, at least two weeks before any convict who is serving a sentence for committing aggravated murder, murder, or a felony of the first, second, or third degree or who is serving a sentence of life imprisonment is released from confinement in any state correctional institution pursuant to a pardon, commutation of sentence, parole, or completed prison term, the adult parole authority shall provide notice of the release to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the indictment of the convict was found and a separate notice of that release to the sheriff of that county. The notice to prosecuting attorneys and the notice to sheriffs required by this division may be contained in a weekly list of all convicts who are serving a sentence for aggravated murder, murder, or a felony of the first, second, or third degree or are serving a sentence of life imprisonment and who are scheduled for release.

(B) Subject to division (D) of this section, if a convict who is serving a sentence for committing aggravated murder, murder, or a felony of the first, second, or third degree or who is serving a sentence of life imprisonment is released from confinement pursuant to a pardon, commutation of sentence, parole, or completed prison term, the adult parole authority shall send notice of the release to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the indictment of the convict was filed. The notice required by this division shall be sent to the appropriate prosecuting attorney at the end of the month in which the convict is released and may be contained in a monthly list of all convicts who are released in that month and for whom this division requires a notice to be sent to that prosecuting attorney.

(C) The notices required by divisions (A) and (B) of this section shall contain all of the following:

(1) The name of the convict being released;

(2) The date of the convict's release;

(3) The offense for the violation of which the convict was convicted and incarcerated;

(4) The date of the convict's conviction pursuant to which the convict was incarcerated;

(5) The sentence imposed for that conviction;

(6) The length of any supervision that the convict will be under;

(7) The name, business address, and business phone number of the convict's supervising officer;

(8) The address at which the convict will reside.

(D)(1) Divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section do not apply to the release from confinement of an offender if the offender is serving a prison term imposed under division (A)(3), (B)(1)(a), (b), or (c), (B)(2)(a), (b), or (c), or (B)(3)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of section 2971.03 of the Revised Code, if the court pursuant to section 2971.05 of the Revised Code modifies the requirement that the offender serve that entire term in a state correctional institution, and if the release from confinement is pursuant to that modification. In a case of that type, the court that modifies the requirement promptly shall provide written notice of the modification and the order that modifies the requirement or revises the modification to the offender, the department of rehabilitation and correction, the prosecuting attorney, and any state agency or political subdivision that is affected by the order.

(2) Divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section do not apply to the release from confinement of an offender if, upon admission to the state correctional institution, the offender has less than fourteen days to serve on the sentence.

Section 2967.13 | Eligibility for parole.

• Effective: April 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (G) of this section or section 2967.132 of the Revised Code, a prisoner serving a sentence of imprisonment for life for an offense committed on or after July 1, 1996, is not entitled to any earned credit under division (A)(2) or (3) of section 2967.193 or 2967.194 of the Revised Code and becomes eligible for parole as follows:

(1) If a sentence of imprisonment for life was imposed for the offense of murder, at the expiration of the prisoner's minimum term;

(2) If a sentence of imprisonment for life with parole eligibility after serving twenty years of imprisonment was imposed pursuant to section 2929.022 or 2929.03 of the Revised Code, after serving a term of twenty years;

(3) If a sentence of imprisonment for life with parole eligibility after serving twenty-five full years of imprisonment was imposed pursuant to section 2929.022 or 2929.03 of the Revised Code, after serving a term of twenty-five full years;

(4) If a sentence of imprisonment for life with parole eligibility after serving thirty full years of imprisonment was imposed pursuant to section 2929.022 or 2929.03 of the Revised Code, after serving a term of thirty full years;

(5) If a sentence of imprisonment for life was imposed for rape, after serving a term of ten full years' imprisonment;

(6) If a sentence of imprisonment for life with parole eligibility after serving fifteen years of imprisonment was imposed for a violation of section 2927.24 of the Revised Code, after serving a term of fifteen years.

(B) Except as provided in division (G) of this section or section 2967.132 of the Revised Code, a prisoner serving a sentence of imprisonment for life with parole eligibility after serving twenty years of imprisonment or a sentence of imprisonment for life with parole eligibility after serving twenty-five full years or thirty full years of imprisonment imposed pursuant to section 2929.022 or 2929.03 of the Revised Code for an offense committed on or after July 1, 1996, consecutively to any other term of imprisonment, becomes eligible for parole after serving twenty years, twenty full years, or thirty full years, as applicable, as to each such sentence of life imprisonment, which shall not be reduced for earned credits under division (A)(2) or (3) of section 2967.193 or 2967.194 of the Revised Code, plus the term or terms of the other sentences consecutively imposed or, if one of the other sentences is another type of life sentence with parole eligibility, the number of years before parole eligibility for that sentence.

(C) Except as provided in division (G) of this section or section 2967.132 of the Revised Code, a prisoner serving consecutively two or more sentences in which an indefinite term of imprisonment is imposed becomes eligible for parole upon the expiration of the aggregate of the minimum terms of the sentences.

(D) Except as provided in division (G) of this section or section 2967.132 of the Revised Code, a prisoner serving a term of imprisonment who is described in division (A) of section 2967.021 of the Revised Code becomes eligible for parole as described in that division or, if the prisoner is serving a definite term of imprisonment, shall be released as described in that division.

(E) Except as provided in section 2967.132 of the Revised Code, a prisoner serving a sentence of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2907.02 or section 2929.03 or 2929.06 of the Revised Code is not eligible for parole and shall be imprisoned until death.

(F) A prisoner serving a stated prison term that is a non-life felony indefinite prison term shall be released in accordance with sections 2967.271 and 2967.28 of the Revised Code. A prisoner serving a stated prison term of any other nature shall be released in accordance with section 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

(G) Except as provided in section 2967.132 of the Revised Code, a prisoner serving a prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2971.03 of the Revised Code never becomes eligible for parole during that term of imprisonment.

Last updated January 25, 2023 at 10:14 AM

Section 2967.131 | Conditions of post-release control.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) In addition to any other terms and conditions of a conditional pardon or parole, of transitional control, or of another form of authorized release from confinement in a state correctional institution that is granted to an individual and that involves the placement of the individual under the supervision of the adult parole authority, and in addition to any other sanctions of post-release control of a felon imposed under section 2967.28 of the Revised Code, the authority or, in the case of a conditional pardon, the governor shall include in the terms and conditions of the conditional pardon, parole, transitional control, or other form of authorized release or shall include as conditions of the post-release control the conditions that the individual or felon not leave the state without permission of the court or the individual's or felon's parole or probation officer and that the individual or felon abide by the law during the period of the individual's or felon's conditional pardon, parole, transitional control, other form of authorized release, or post-release control.

(B)(1) The department of rehabilitation and correction, as a condition of parole or post-release control, may require that the individual or felon shall not ingest or be injected with a drug of abuse and shall submit to random drug testing as provided in divisions (B)(2), (3), and (4) of this section and that the results of the drug test indicate that the individual or felon did not ingest or was not injected with a drug of abuse.

(2) If the adult parole authority has general control and supervision of an individual or felon who is required to submit to random drug testing as a condition of parole or post-release control under division (B)(1) of this section, the authority may cause the individual or felon to submit to random drug testing performed by a laboratory or entity that has entered into a contract with any of the governmental entities or officers authorized to enter into a contract with that laboratory or entity under section 341.26, 753.33, or 5120.63 of the Revised Code.

(3) If no laboratory or entity described in division (B)(2) of this section has entered into a contract as specified in that division, the adult parole authority shall cause the individual or felon to submit to random drug testing performed by a reputable public laboratory to determine whether the individual or felon who is the subject of the drug test ingested or was injected with a drug of abuse.

(4) If a laboratory or entity has entered into a contract with a governmental entity or officer as specified in division (B)(2) of this section, the laboratory or entity shall perform the random drug testing under division (B)(2) of this section in accordance with the applicable standards that are included in the terms of that contract. A public laboratory shall perform the random drug tests under division (B)(3) of this section in accordance with the standards set forth in the policies and procedures established by the department of rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.63 of the Revised Code. An individual or felon who is required under division (B)(1) of this section to submit to random drug testing as a condition of parole or post-release control and whose test results indicate that the individual or felon ingested or was injected with a drug of abuse shall pay the fee for the drug test if the adult parole authority requires payment of a fee. A laboratory or entity that performs the random drug testing on a parolee or releasee under division (B)(2) or (3) of this section shall transmit the results of the drug test to the adult parole authority.

(C)(1) During the period of a conditional pardon or parole, of transitional control, or of another form of authorized release from confinement in a state correctional institution that is granted to an individual and that involves the placement of the individual under the supervision of the adult parole authority, and during a period of post-release control of a felon imposed under section 2967.28 of the Revised Code, authorized field officers of the authority who are engaged within the scope of their supervisory duties or responsibilities may search, with or without a warrant, the person of the individual or felon, the place of residence of the individual or felon, and a motor vehicle, another item of tangible or intangible personal property, or other real property in which the individual or felon has a right, title, or interest or for which the individual or felon has the express or implied permission of a person with a right, title, or interest to use, occupy, or possess, if any of the following apply:

(a) The field officers have reasonable grounds to believe that the individual or felon has left the state, is not abiding by the law, or otherwise is not complying with the terms and conditions of the individual's or felon's conditional pardon, parole, transitional control, other form of authorized release, or post-release control.

(b) The adult parole authority requires the individual's or felon's consent to searches as part of the terms and conditions of the conditional pardon or parole, of the transitional control, of the other form of authorized release from confinement in a state correctional institution that is granted to a person, or of the post-release control and that involves the placement of the person under the supervision of the adult parole authority, and the individual or felon agreed to those terms and conditions, provided that this division applies with respect to an individual only if the individual is a felon.

(c) The individual or felon otherwise provides consent for the search, provided that this division applies with respect to an individual only if the individual is a felon.

(2) The adult parole authority shall provide each individual who is granted a conditional pardon or parole, transitional control, or another form of authorized release from confinement in a state correctional institution and each felon who is under post-release control with a written notice that informs the individual or felon that authorized field officers of the authority who are engaged within the scope of their supervisory duties or responsibilities may conduct the types of searches described in division (C)(1) of this section during the period of the conditional pardon, parole, transitional control, other form of authorized release, or post-release control if any of the following apply:

(a) The field officers have reasonable grounds to believe that the individual or felon has left the state, is not abiding by the law, or otherwise is not complying with the terms and conditions of the individual's or felon's conditional pardon, parole, transitional control, other form of authorized release, or post-release control.

(b) The adult parole authority requires the individual's or felon's consent to searches as part of the terms and conditions of the conditional pardon or parole, of transitional control, of the other form of authorized release from confinement in a state correctional institution that is granted to a person, or of the post-release control and that involves the placement of the person under the supervision of the adult parole authority, and the individual or felon agreed to those terms and conditions, provided that this division applies with respect to an individual only if the individual is a felon.

(c) The individual or felon otherwise provides consent for the search, provided that this division applies with respect to an individual only if the individual is a felon.

Last updated August 28, 2023 at 1:20 PM

Section 2967.132 | Parole eligibility when offense is committed by a minor.

• Effective: April 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Aggravated homicide offense" means any of the following that involved the purposeful killing of three or more persons, when the offender is the principal offender in each offense:

(a) Aggravated murder;

(b) Any other offense or combination of offenses that involved the purposeful killing of three or more persons.

(2) "Homicide offense" means a violation of section 2903.02, 2903.03, 2903.04, or 2903.041 of the Revised Code or a violation of section 2903.01 of the Revised Code that is not an aggravated homicide offense.

(B) This section applies to any prisoner serving a prison sentence for one or more offenses committed when the prisoner was under eighteen years of age. Regardless of whether the prisoner's stated prison term includes mandatory time, this section shall apply automatically and cannot be limited by the sentencing court.

(C) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, and regardless of when the offense or offenses were committed and when the sentence was imposed, a prisoner who is serving a prison sentence for an offense other than an aggravated homicide offense and who was under eighteen years of age at the time of the offense, or who is serving consecutive prison sentences for multiple offenses none of which is an aggravated homicide offense and who was under eighteen years of age at the time of the offenses, is eligible for parole as follows:

(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) or (3) of this section, the prisoner is eligible for parole after serving eighteen years in prison.

(2) Except as provided in division (C)(3) or (4) of this section, if the prisoner is serving a sentence for one or more homicide offenses, none of which are an aggravated homicide offense, the prisoner is eligible for parole after serving twenty-five years in prison.

(3) Except as provided in division (C)(4) of this section, if the prisoner is serving a sentence for two or more homicide offenses, none of which are an aggravated homicide offense, and the offender was the principal offender in two or more of those offenses, the prisoner is eligible for parole after serving thirty years in prison.

(4) If the prisoner is serving a sentence for one or more offenses and the sentence permits parole earlier than the parole eligibility date specified in division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, the prisoner is eligible for parole after serving the period of time in prison that is specified in the sentence.

(D) If the prisoner is serving a sentence for an aggravated homicide offense, or for a violation of section 2909.24 of the Revised Code when the most serious underlying specified offense the defendant committed in the violation was aggravated murder or murder, the prisoner is not eligible for parole review other than in accordance with the sentence imposed for the offense.

(E)(1) Once a prisoner is eligible for parole pursuant to division (C) or (D) of this section, the parole board, within a reasonable time after the prisoner becomes eligible, shall conduct a hearing to consider the prisoner's release on parole under parole supervision. The board shall conduct the hearing in accordance with Chapters 2930., 2967., and 5149. of the Revised Code and in accordance with the board's policies and procedures. Those policies and procedures must permit the prisoner's privately retained counsel or the state public defender to appear at the prisoner's hearing to make a statement in support of the prisoner's release.

(2) The parole board shall ensure that the review process provides the prisoner a meaningful opportunity to obtain release. In addition to any other factors the board is required or authorized to consider by rule or statute, the board shall consider the following factors as mitigating factors:

(a) The chronological age of the prisoner at the time of the offense and that age's hallmark features, including intellectual capacity, immaturity, impetuosity, and a failure to appreciate risks and consequences;

(b) The family and home environment of the prisoner at the time of the offense, the prisoner's inability to control the prisoner's surroundings, a history of trauma regarding the prisoner, and the prisoner's school and special education history;

(c) The circumstances of the offense, including the extent of the prisoner's participation in the conduct and the way familial and peer pressures may have impacted the prisoner's conduct;

(d) Whether the prisoner might have been charged and convicted of a lesser offense if not for the incompetencies associated with youth such as the prisoner's inability to deal with police officers and prosecutors during the prisoner's interrogation or possible plea agreement, or the prisoner's inability to assist the prisoner's own attorney;

(e) Examples of the prisoner's rehabilitation, including any subsequent growth or increase in maturity during imprisonment.

(F) In accordance with section 2967.131 of the Revised Code, the parole board shall impose appropriate terms and conditions of release upon each prisoner granted a parole under this section.

(G) If the parole board denies release on parole pursuant to this section, the board shall set a time for a subsequent release review and hearing in accordance with rules adopted by the department of rehabilitation and correction in effect at the time of the denial.

(H) In addition to any notice required by rule or statute, the parole board shall notify the state public defender, the victim, and the appropriate prosecuting attorney of a prisoner's eligibility for review under this section at least sixty days before the board begins any review or proceedings involving that prisoner under this section.

(I)(1) This section shall apply to determine the parole eligibility of all prisoners described in this section who committed an offense prior to, on, or after April 12, 2021, regardless of when the prisoner committed or was sentenced for the offense and, for purposes of this section, a prisoner is "serving" a prison sentence for an offense if on or after April 12, 2021, the prisoner is serving a prison sentence for that offense, regardless of when the sentence was imposed or the offense was committed.

(2) The provisions of this section do not apply to an offender who is paroled on an offense committed when the offender was under eighteen years of age who subsequently returns to prison for a violation of parole committed as an adult or for a new felony conviction committed as an adult.

Last updated March 8, 2023 at 12:07 PM

Section 2967.14 | Halfway houses or community residential centers.

• Effective: September 29, 2015
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly

(A) The department of rehabilitation and correction or the adult parole authority may require or allow a parolee, a releasee, or a prisoner otherwise released from a state correctional institution to reside in a halfway house or other suitable community residential center that has been licensed by the division of parole and community services pursuant to division (C) of this section during a part or for the entire period of the offender's or parolee's conditional release or of the releasee's term of post-release control. The court of common pleas that placed an offender under a sanction consisting of a term in a halfway house or in an alternative residential sanction may require the offender to reside in a halfway house or other suitable community residential center that is designated by the court and that has been licensed by the division pursuant to division (C) of this section during a part or for the entire period of the offender's residential sanction.

(B) The division of parole and community services may negotiate and enter into agreements with any public or private agency or a department or political subdivision of the state that operates a halfway house, reentry center, or community residential center that has been licensed by the division pursuant to division (C) of this section. An agreement under this division shall provide for the purchase of beds, shall set limits of supervision and levels of occupancy, and shall determine the scope of services for all eligible offenders, including those subject to a residential sanction, as defined in rules adopted by the director of rehabilitation and correction in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, or those released from prison without supervision. The payments for beds and services shall not exceed the total operating costs of the halfway house, reentry center, or community residential center during the term of an agreement. The director of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for determining includable and excludable costs and income to be used in computing the agency's average daily per capita costs with its facility at full occupancy.

The director of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules providing for the use of no more than fifteen per cent of the amount appropriated to the department each fiscal year for the halfway house, reentry center, and community residential center program to pay for contracts with licensed halfway houses for nonresidential services for offenders under the supervision of the adult parole authority, including but not limited to, offenders supervised pursuant to an agreement entered into by the adult parole authority and a court of common pleas under section 2301.32 of the Revised Code. The nonresidential services may include, but are not limited to, treatment for substance abuse, mental health counseling, counseling for sex offenders, electronic monitoring services, aftercare, and other nonresidential services that the director identifies by rule.

(C) The division of parole and community services may license a halfway house, reentry center, or community residential center as a suitable facility for the care and treatment of adult offenders, including offenders sentenced under section 2929.16 or 2929.26 of the Revised Code, only if the halfway house, reentry center, or community residential center complies with the standards that the division adopts in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for the licensure of halfway houses, reentry centers, and community residential centers. The division shall annually inspect each licensed halfway house, licensed reentry center, and licensed community residential center to determine if it is in compliance with the licensure standards.

(D) The division of parole and community services may expend up to one-half per cent of the annual appropriation made for halfway house programs, for goods or services that benefit those programs.

Section 2967.141 | Violation sanction centerS.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 411 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) The department of rehabilitation and correction may operate or contract for the operation of one or more violation sanction centers. A violation sanction center operated under authority of this division is a prison as defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code. A violation sanction center operated under authority of this division may be used for either of the following purposes:

(1) Service of a prison term that the parole board, subsequent to a hearing, imposes pursuant to division (F)(3) of section 2967.28 of the Revised Code upon a releasee who has violated a post-release control sanction imposed upon the releasee under that section;

(2) As a facility designated by the adult parole authority for confining a violator pursuant to division (A) of section 2967.15 of the Revised Code until a determination is made regarding the person's release status.

(B) A violation sanction center established under the authority of this section is not an alternative residential facility for the purpose of imposing sentence on an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony, and a court that is sentencing an offender for a felony pursuant to sections 2929.11 to 2929.19 of the Revised Code shall not sentence the offender to a community residential sanction that requires the offender to serve a term in the center.

(C) If a releasee is ordered to serve a sanction in a violation sanction center, as described in division (A)(1) of this section, all of the following apply:

(1) The releasee shall be considered to be under a prison term for a violation of post-release control imposed pursuant to division (F)(3) of section 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

(2) The time the releasee serves in the center shall count toward, and shall be considered in determining, the maximum cumulative prison term for all violations that is described in division (F)(3) of section 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

(3) The time the releasee serves in the center shall not count as part of, and shall not be credited toward, the remaining period of post-release control that is applicable to the releasee.

Section 2967.15 | Violating condition of conditional pardon, parole, other form of authorized release, transitional control, or post-release control.

• Effective: April 9, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 130 - 127th General Assembly

(A) If an adult parole authority field officer has reasonable cause to believe that a person who is a parolee or releasee, who is under transitional control, or who is under another form of authorized release and who is under the supervision of the adult parole authority has violated or is violating the condition of a conditional pardon, parole, other form of authorized release, transitional control, or post-release control specified in division (A) of section 2967.131 of the Revised Code or any other term or condition of the person's conditional pardon, parole, other form of authorized release, transitional control, or post-release control, the field officer may arrest the person without a warrant or order a peace officer to arrest the person without a warrant. A person so arrested shall be confined in the jail of the county in which the person is arrested or in another facility designated by the chief of the adult parole authority until a determination is made regarding the person's release status. Upon making an arrest under this section, the arresting or supervising adult parole authority field officer promptly shall notify the superintendent of parole supervision or the superintendent's designee, in writing, that the person has been arrested and is in custody and submit an appropriate report of the reason for the arrest.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in this division, prior to the revocation by the adult parole authority of a person's pardon, parole, or other release and prior to the imposition by the parole board or adult parole authority of a new prison term as a post-release control sanction for a person, the adult parole authority shall grant the person a hearing in accordance with rules adopted by the department of rehabilitation and correction under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. The adult parole authority is not required to grant the person a hearing if the person is convicted of or pleads guilty to an offense that the person committed while released on a pardon, on parole, or another form of release, or on post-release control and upon which the revocation of the person's pardon, parole, other release, or post-release control is based.

If a person who has been pardoned is found to be a violator of the conditions of the parolee's conditional pardon or commutation of sentence, the authority forthwith shall transmit to the governor its recommendation concerning that violation, and the violator shall be retained in custody until the governor issues an order concerning that violation.

If the authority fails to make a determination of the case of a parolee or releasee alleged to be a violator of the terms and conditions of the parolee's or releasee's conditional pardon, parole, other release, or post-release control sanctions within a reasonable time, the parolee or releasee shall be released from custody under the same terms and conditions of the parolee's or releasee's original conditional pardon, parole, other release, or post-release control sanctions.

(C)(1) If a person who is a parolee or releasee, who is under transitional control, or who is under another form of authorized release under the supervision of the adult parole authority absconds from supervision, the supervising adult parole authority field officer shall report that fact to the superintendent of parole supervision, in writing, and the authority shall declare that person to be a violator at large. Upon being advised of the apprehension and availability for return of a violator at large, the superintendent of parole supervision shall determine whether the violator at large should be restored to parole, transitional control, another form of authorized release, or post-release control.

The time between the date on which a person who is a parolee or other releasee is declared to be a violator or violator at large and the date on which that person is returned to custody in this state under the immediate control of the adult parole authority shall not be counted as time served under the sentence imposed on that person or as a part of the term of post-release control.

(2) A person who is under transitional control or who is under any form of authorized release under the supervision of the adult parole authority is considered to be in custody while under the transitional control or on release, and, if the person absconds from supervision, the person may be prosecuted for the offense of escape.

(D) A person who is a parolee or releasee, who is under transitional control, or who is under another form of authorized release under the supervision of the adult parole authority and who has violated a term or condition of the person's conditional pardon, parole, transitional control, other form of authorized release, or post-release control shall be declared to be a violator if the person is committed to a correctional institution outside the state to serve a sentence imposed upon the person by a federal court or a court of another state or if the person otherwise leaves the state.

(E) As used in this section, "peace officer" has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 2967.16 | Certificate of final release.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, when a paroled prisoner has faithfully performed the conditions and obligations of the paroled prisoner's parole and has obeyed the rules and regulations adopted by the adult parole authority that apply to the paroled prisoner, the authority may grant a final release and thereupon shall issue to the paroled prisoner a certificate of final release that shall serve as the minutes of the authority, but the authority shall not grant a final release earlier than one year after the paroled prisoner is released from the institution on parole, and, in the case of a paroled prisoner whose sentence is life imprisonment, the authority shall not grant a final release earlier than five years after the paroled prisoner is released from the institution on parole.

(B)(1) When a prisoner who has been released under a period of post-release control pursuant to section 2967.28 of the Revised Code has faithfully performed the conditions and obligations of the released prisoner's post-release control sanctions and has obeyed the rules and regulations adopted by the adult parole authority that apply to the released prisoner or has the period of post-release control terminated by a court pursuant to section 2929.141 of the Revised Code, the authority may terminate the period of post-release control and issue to the released prisoner a certificate of termination, which shall serve as the minutes of the authority. In the case of a prisoner who has been released under a period of post-release control pursuant to division (B) of section 2967.28 of the Revised Code, the authority shall not terminate post-release control earlier than one year after the released prisoner is released from the institution under a period of post-release control. The authority may classify the termination of post-release control as unfavorable if the offender's conduct and compliance with the conditions of supervision is unsatisfactory. If the authority does not classify the termination of post-release control as unfavorable, the offender's conduct and compliance with the conditions of post-release control shall be not considered as an unfavorable termination under this division by a court when the court, at a future sentencing hearing, is considering the factors described in division (D)(1) of section 2929.12 of the Revised Code. In the case of a released prisoner whose sentence is life imprisonment, the authority shall not terminate post-release control earlier than five years after the released prisoner is released from the institution under a period of post-release control.

(2) The department of rehabilitation and correction, no later than six months after July 8, 2002, shall adopt a rule in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establishes the criteria for the classification of a post-release control termination as "unfavorable."

(C)(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, the following prisoners or person shall be restored to the rights and privileges forfeited by a conviction:

(a) A prisoner who has served the entire prison term that comprises or is part of the prisoner's sentence and has not been placed under any post-release control sanctions;

(b) A prisoner who has been granted a final release or termination of post-release control by the adult parole authority pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section;

(c) A person who has completed the period of a community control sanction or combination of community control sanctions, as defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code, that was imposed by the sentencing court.

(2)(a) As used in division (C)(2)(c) of this section:

(i) "Position of honor, trust, or profit" has the same meaning as in section 2929.192 of the Revised Code.

(ii) "Public office" means any elected federal, state, or local government office in this state.

(b) For purposes of division (C)(2)(c) of this section, a violation of section 2923.32 of the Revised Code or any other violation or offense that includes as an element a course of conduct or the occurrence of multiple acts is "committed on or after May 13, 2008," if the course of conduct continues, one or more of the multiple acts occurs, or the subject person's accountability for the course of conduct or for one or more of the multiple acts continues, on or after May 13, 2008.

(c) Division (C)(1) of this section does not restore a prisoner or person to the privilege of holding a position of honor, trust, or profit if the prisoner or person was convicted of or pleaded guilty to committing on or after May 13, 2008, any of the following offenses that is a felony:

(i) A violation of section 2921.02, 2921.03, 2921.05, 2921.41, 2921.42, or 2923.32 of the Revised Code;

(ii) A violation of section 2913.42, 2921.04, 2921.11, 2921.12, 2921.31, or 2921.32 of the Revised Code, when the person committed the violation while the person was serving in a public office and the conduct constituting the violation was related to the duties of the person's public office or to the person's actions as a public official holding that public office;

(iii) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any violation listed in division (C)(2)(c)(i) of this section;

(iv) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any violation listed in division (C)(2)(c)(ii) of this section, when the person committed the violation while the person was serving in a public office and the conduct constituting the violation was related to the duties of the person's public office or to the person's actions as a public official holding that public office;

(v) A conspiracy to commit, attempt to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (C)(2)(c)(i) or described in division (C)(2)(c)(iii) of this section;

(vi) A conspiracy to commit, attempt to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (C)(2)(c)(ii) or described in division (C)(2)(c)(iv) of this section, if the person committed the violation while the person was serving in a public office and the conduct constituting the offense that was the subject of the conspiracy, that would have constituted the offense attempted, or constituting the offense in which the person was complicit was or would have been related to the duties of the person's public office or to the person's actions as a public official holding that public office.

(D) Division (A) of this section does not apply to a prisoner in the shock incarceration program established pursuant to section 5120.031 of the Revised Code.

(E) The final release certificate of a parolee and the certificate of termination of a prisoner shall serve as the official minutes of the adult parole authority, and the authority shall consider those certificates as its official minutes.

Last updated October 3, 2023 at 2:13 PM

Section 2967.17 | Administrative release.

• Effective: September 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The adult parole authority, in its discretion, may grant an administrative release to any of the following:

(1) A parole violator, release violator, or releasee serving another felony sentence in a correctional institution within or without this state for the purpose of consolidation of the records or if justice would best be served;

(2) A parole violator at large or release violator at large whose case has been inactive for at least ten years following the date of declaration of the parole violation or the violation of a post-release control sanction;

(3) A parolee or releasee taken into custody by the immigration and naturalization service of the United States department of justice and deported from the United States.

(B)(1)(a) As used in divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, "position of honor, trust, or profit" has the same meaning as in section 2929.192 of the Revised Code.

(b) For purposes of divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a violation of section 2923.32 of the Revised Code or any other violation or offense that includes as an element a course of conduct or the occurrence of multiple acts is "committed on or after May 13, 2008," if the course of conduct continues, one or more of the multiple acts occurs, or the subject person's accountability for the course of conduct or for one or more of the multiple acts continues, on or after May 13, 2008.

(2) The adult parole authority shall not grant an administrative release except upon the concurrence of a majority of the parole board and approval of the chief of the adult parole authority. An administrative release does not restore for the person to whom it is granted the rights and privileges forfeited by conviction as provided in section 2961.01 of the Revised Code. Any person granted an administrative release under this section may subsequently apply for a commutation of sentence for the purpose of regaining the rights and privileges forfeited by conviction, except that the privilege of circulating or serving as a witness for the signing of any declaration of candidacy and petition, voter registration application, or nominating, initiative, referendum, or recall petition forfeited under section 2961.01 of the Revised Code may not be restored under this section and except that the privilege of holding a position of honor, trust, or profit may not be restored under this section to a person in the circumstances described in division (B)(3) of this section.

(3) The privilege of holding a position of honor, trust, or profit may not be restored under this section to a person who was convicted of or pleaded guilty to committing on or after May 13, 2008, any violation or offense listed in divisions (C)(2)(c)(i) to (vi) of section 2967.16 of the Revised Code that is a felony.

Last updated July 30, 2021 at 4:04 PM

Section 2967.18 | Overcrowding emergency - early releases and sentence reductions.

• Effective: September 3, 1996
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 180, House Bill 445 - 121st General Assembly

(A) Whenever the director of rehabilitation and correction determines that the total population of the state correctional institutions for males and females, the total population of the state correctional institutions for males, or the total population of the state correctional institutions for females exceeds the capacity of those institutions and that an overcrowding emergency exists, the director shall notify the correctional institution inspection committee of the emergency and provide the committee with information in support of the director's determination. The director shall not notify the committee that an overcrowding emergency exists unless the director determines that no other reasonable method is available to resolve the overcrowding emergency.

(B) On receipt of the notice given pursuant to division (A) of this section, the correctional institution inspection committee promptly shall review the determination of the director of rehabilitation and correction. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code or the Administrative Code that governs the lengths of criminal sentences, sets forth the time within which a prisoner is eligible for parole or within which a prisoner may apply for release, or regulates the procedure for granting parole or release to prisoners confined in state correctional institutions, the committee may recommend to the governor that the prison terms of eligible male, female, or all prisoners, as determined under division (E) of this section, be reduced by thirty, sixty, or ninety days, in the manner prescribed in that division.

(C) If the correctional institution inspection committee disagrees with the determination of the director of rehabilitation and correction that an overcrowding emergency exists, if the committee finds that an overcrowding emergency exists but does not make a recommendation pursuant to division (B) of this section, or if the committee does not make a finding or a recommendation pursuant to that division within thirty days of receipt of the notice given pursuant to division (A) of this section, the director may recommend to the governor that the action set forth in division (B) of this section be taken.

(D) Upon receipt of a recommendation from the correctional institution inspection committee or the director of rehabilitation and correction made pursuant to this section, the governor may declare in writing that an overcrowding emergency exists in all of the institutions within the control of the department in which men are confined, in which women are confined, or both. The declaration shall state that the adult parole authority shall take the action set forth in division (B) of this section. After the governor makes the declaration, the director shall file a copy of it with the secretary of state, and the copy is a public record.

The department may begin to implement the declaration of the governor made pursuant to this section on the date that it is filed with the secretary of state. The department shall begin to implement the declaration within thirty days after the date of filing. The declaration shall be implemented in accordance with division (E) of this section.

(E)(1) No reduction of sentence pursuant to division (B) of this section shall be granted to any of the following:

(a) A person who is serving a term of imprisonment for aggravated murder, murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, kidnapping, rape, aggravated arson, aggravated robbery, or any other offense punishable by life imprisonment or by an indefinite term of a specified number of years to life, or for conspiracy in, complicity in, or attempt to commit any of those offenses;

(b) A person who is serving a term of imprisonment for any felony other than carrying a concealed weapon that was committed while the person had a firearm, as defined in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code, on or about the offender's person or under the offender's control;

(c) A person who is serving a term of imprisonment for a violation of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code;

(d) A person who is serving a term of imprisonment for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity;

(e) A person who is serving a prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2971.03 of the Revised Code;

(f) A person who was denied parole or release pursuant to section 2929.20 of the Revised Code during the term of imprisonment the person currently is serving.

(2) A declaration of the governor that requires the adult parole authority to take the action set forth in division (B) of this section shall be implemented only by reducing the prison terms of prisoners who are not in any of the categories set forth in division (E)(1) of this section, and only by granting reductions of prison terms in the following order:

(a) Under any such declaration, prison terms initially shall be reduced only for persons who are not in any of the categories set forth in division (E)(1) of this section and who are not serving a term of imprisonment for any of the following offenses:

(i) An offense of violence that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree or that, under the law in existence prior to the effective date of this amendment, was an aggravated felony of the first, second, or third degree or a felony of the first or second degree;

(ii) An offense set forth in Chapter 2925. of the Revised Code that is a felony of the first or second degree.

(b) If every person serving a term of imprisonment at the time of the implementation of any such declaration who is in the class of persons eligible for the initial reduction of prison terms, as described in division (E)(2)(a) of this section, has received a total of ninety days of term reduction for each three years of imprisonment actually served, then prison terms may be reduced for all other persons serving a term of imprisonment at that time who are not in any of the categories set forth in division (E)(1) of this section.

(F) An offender who is released from a state correctional institution pursuant to this section is subject to post-release control sanctions imposed by the adult parole authority as if the offender was a prisoner described in division (B) of section 2967.28 of the Revised Code who was being released from imprisonment.

(G) If more than one overcrowding emergency is declared while a prisoner is serving a prison term, the total term reduction for that prisoner as the result of multiple declarations shall not exceed ninety days for each three years of imprisonment actually served.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Section 2967.191 | Reduction of prison term or parole eligibility date for related days of confinement.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 201, Senate Bill 66 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall reduce the prison term of a prisoner, as described in division (B) of this section, by the total number of days that the prisoner was confined for any reason arising out of the offense for which the prisoner was convicted and sentenced, including confinement in lieu of bail while awaiting trial, confinement for examination to determine the prisoner's competence to stand trial or sanity, confinement while awaiting transportation to the place where the prisoner is to serve the prisoner's prison term, as determined by the sentencing court under division (B)(2)(g)(i) of section 2929.19 of the Revised Code, and confinement in a juvenile facility. The department of rehabilitation and correction also shall reduce the stated prison term of a prisoner or, if the prisoner is serving a term for which there is parole eligibility, the minimum and maximum term or the parole eligibility date of the prisoner by the total number of days, if any, that the prisoner previously served in the custody of the department of rehabilitation and correction arising out of the offense for which the prisoner was convicted and sentenced.

(B) The reductions described in division (A) of this section shall be made to the following prison terms, as applicable:

(1) The definite prison term of a prisoner serving a definite prison term as a stated prison term;

(2) The minimum and maximum term of a prisoner serving a non-life felony indefinite prison term as a stated prison term;

(3) The minimum and maximum term or the parole eligibility date of a prisoner serving a term for which there is parole eligibility.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Section 2967.193 | Earning days of credit.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A)(1) The provisions of this section apply until April 4, 2024, to persons confined in a state correctional institution or in the substance use disorder treatment program. On and after April 4, 2024, the provisions of section 2967.194 of the Revised Code apply to persons so confined, in the manner specified in division (G) of that section.

(2) Except as provided in division (C) of this section and subject to the maximum aggregate total specified in division (A)(4) of this section, a person confined in a state correctional institution or placed in the substance use disorder treatment program may provisionally earn one day or five days of credit, based on the category set forth in division (D)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section in which the person is included, toward satisfaction of the person's stated prison term, as described in division (F) of this section, for each completed month during which the person, if confined in a state correctional institution, productively participates in an education program, vocational training, employment in prison industries, treatment for substance abuse, or any other constructive program developed by the department of rehabilitation and correction with specific standards for performance by prisoners or during which the person, if placed in the substance use disorder treatment program, productively participates in the program. Except as provided in division (C) of this section and subject to the maximum aggregate total specified in division (A)(4) of this section, a person so confined in a state correctional institution who successfully completes two programs or activities of that type may, in addition, provisionally earn up to five days of credit toward satisfaction of the person's stated prison term, as described in division (F) of this section, for the successful completion of the second program or activity. The person shall not be awarded any provisional days of credit for the successful completion of the first program or activity or for the successful completion of any program or activity that is completed after the second program or activity. At the end of each calendar month in which a person productively participates in a program or activity listed in this division or successfully completes a program or activity listed in this division, the department of rehabilitation and correction shall determine and record the total number of days credit that the person provisionally earned in that calendar month. If the person in a state correctional institution violates prison rules or the person in the substance use disorder treatment program violates program or department rules, the department may deny the person a credit that otherwise could have been provisionally awarded to the person or may withdraw one or more credits previously provisionally earned by the person. Days of credit provisionally earned by a person shall be finalized and awarded by the department subject to administrative review by the department of the person's conduct.

(3) Unless a person is serving a mandatory prison term or a prison term for an offense of violence or a sexually oriented offense, and notwithstanding the maximum aggregate total specified in division (A)(4) of this section, a person who successfully completes any of the following shall earn ninety days of credit toward satisfaction of the person's stated prison term or a ten per cent reduction of the person's stated prison term, whichever is less:

(a) An Ohio high school diploma or Ohio certificate of high school equivalence certified by the Ohio central school system;

(b) A therapeutic drug community program;

(c) All three phases of the department of rehabilitation and correction's intensive outpatient drug treatment program;

(d) A career technical vocational school program;

(e) A college certification program;

(f) The criteria for a certificate of achievement and employability as specified in division (A)(1) of section 2961.22 of the Revised Code.

(4)(a) Except for persons described in division (A)(3) of this section and subject to division (A)(4)(b) of this section, the aggregate days of credit provisionally earned by a person for program or activity participation and program and activity completion under this section and the aggregate days of credit finally credited to a person under this section shall not exceed eight per cent of the total number of days in the person's stated prison term.

(b) If a person is confined in a state correctional institution or in the substance use disorder treatment program after the effective date of this amendment , and if the person as of that effective date has met the eight per cent limit specified in division (A)(4)(a) of this section or the person meets that eight per cent limit between that effective date and April 3, 2024, both of the following apply with respect to the person:

(i) On and after the effective date of this amendment , the eight per cent limit specified in division (A)(4)(a) of this section no longer applies to the person;

(ii) On and after the effective date of this amendment , the aggregate days of credit provisionally earned by a person for program or activity participation and program and activity completion under this section and the aggregate days of credit finally credited to a person under this section shall not exceed fifteen per cent of the total number of days in the person's stated prison term.

(B) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules that specify the programs or activities for which credit may be earned under this section, the criteria for determining productive participation in, or completion of, the programs or activities and the criteria for awarding credit, including criteria for awarding additional credit for successful program or activity completion, and the criteria for denying or withdrawing previously provisionally earned credit as a result of a violation of prison rules, or program or department rules, whichever is applicable.

(C) No person confined in a state correctional institution or placed in a substance use disorder treatment program to whom any of the following applies shall be awarded any days of credit under division (A) of this section:

(1) The person is serving a prison term that section 2929.13 or section 2929.14 of the Revised Code specifies cannot be reduced pursuant to this section or this chapter or is serving a sentence for which section 2967.13 or division (B) of section 2929.143 of the Revised Code specifies that the person is not entitled to any earned credit under this section.

(2) The person is sentenced to death or is serving a prison term or a term of life imprisonment for aggravated murder, murder, or a conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in committing, aggravated murder or murder.

(3) The person is serving a sentence of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2929.03 or 2929.06 of the Revised Code, a prison term or a term of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2971.03 of the Revised Code, or a sentence for a sexually oriented offense that was committed on or after September 30, 2011.

(D) This division does not apply to a determination of whether a person confined in a state correctional institution or placed in a substance use disorder treatment program may earn any days of credit under division (A) of this section for successful completion of a second program or activity. The determination of whether a person confined in a state correctional institution may earn one day of credit or five days of credit under division (A) of this section for each completed month during which the person productively participates in a program or activity specified under that division shall be made in accordance with the following:

(1) The offender may earn one day of credit under division (A) of this section, except as provided in division (C) of this section, if the most serious offense for which the offender is confined is any of the following that is a felony of the first or second degree:

(a) A violation of division (A) of section 2903.04 or of section 2903.03, 2903.11, 2903.15, 2905.01, 2907.24, 2907.25, 2909.02, 2909.09, 2909.10, 2909.101, 2909.26, 2909.27, 2909.29, 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, 2919.13, 2919.15, 2919.151, 2919.22, 2921.34, 2923.01, 2923.131, 2923.162, 2923.32, 2925.24, or 2927.24 of the Revised Code;

(b) A conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in committing, any other offense for which the maximum penalty is imprisonment for life or any offense listed in division (D)(1)(a) of this section.

(2) The offender may earn one day of credit under division (A) of this section, except as provided in division (C) of this section, if the offender is serving a stated prison term that includes a prison term imposed for a sexually oriented offense that the offender committed prior to September 30, 2011.

(3) The offender may earn one day of credit under division (A) of this section, except as provided in division (C) of this section, if the offender is serving a stated prison term that includes a prison term imposed for a felony other than carrying a concealed weapon an essential element of which is any conduct or failure to act expressly involving any deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance.

(4) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, if the most serious offense for which the offender is confined is a felony of the first or second degree and divisions (D)(1), (2), and (3) of this section do not apply to the offender, the offender may earn one day of credit under division (A) of this section if the offender committed that offense prior to September 30, 2011, and the offender may earn five days of credit under division (A) of this section if the offender committed that offense on or after September 30, 2011.

(5) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, if the most serious offense for which the offender is confined is a felony of the third, fourth, or fifth degree or an unclassified felony and neither division (D)(2) nor (3) of this section applies to the offender, the offender may earn one day of credit under division (A) of this section if the offender committed that offense prior to September 30, 2011, and the offender may earn five days of credit under division (A) of this section if the offender committed that offense on or after September 30, 2011.

(E) The department annually shall seek and consider the written feedback of the Ohio prosecuting attorneys association, the Ohio judicial conference, the Ohio public defender, the Ohio association of criminal defense lawyers, and other organizations and associations that have an interest in the operation of the corrections system and the earned credits program under this section as part of its evaluation of the program and in determining whether to modify the program.

(F) Days of credit awarded under this section shall be applied toward satisfaction of a person's stated prison term as follows:

(1) Toward the definite prison term of a prisoner serving a definite prison term as a stated prison term;

(2) Toward the minimum and maximum terms of a prisoner serving an indefinite prison term imposed under division (A)(1)(a) or (2)(a) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code for a felony of the first or second degree committed on or after March 22, 2019.

(G) As used in this section:

(1) "Sexually oriented offense" has the same meaning as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Substance use disorder treatment program" means the substance use disorder treatment program established by the department of rehabilitation and correction under section 5120.035 of the Revised Code.

Last updated October 3, 2023 at 2:14 PM

Section 2967.194 | Earning days of credit.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A)(1) Beginning April 4, 2024, the provisions of this section shall apply, in the manner described in division (G) of this section, to persons confined on or after that date in a state correctional institution or in the substance use disorder treatment program.

(2) Except as provided in division (C) of this section and subject to the maximum aggregate total specified in division (A)(4) of this section, a person confined in a state correctional institution or placed in the substance use disorder treatment program may provisionally earn one day or five days of credit, based on the category set forth in division (D)(1) or (2) of this section in which the person is included, toward satisfaction of the person's stated prison term, as described in division (F) of this section, for each completed month during which the person, if confined in a state correctional institution, productively participates in an education program, vocational training, employment in prison industries, treatment for substance abuse, or any other constructive program developed by the department of rehabilitation and correction with specific standards for performance by prisoners or during which the person, if placed in the substance use disorder treatment program, productively participates in the program. Except as provided in division (C) of this section and subject to the maximum aggregate total specified in division (A)(4) of this section, a person so confined in a state correctional institution who successfully completes two programs or activities of that type may, in addition, provisionally earn up to five days of credit toward satisfaction of the person's stated prison term, as described in division (F) of this section, for the successful completion of the second program or activity. The person shall not be awarded any provisional days of credit for the successful completion of the first program or activity or for the successful completion of any program or activity that is completed after the second program or activity. At the end of each calendar month in which a person productively participates in a program or activity listed in this division or successfully completes a program or activity listed in this division, the department of rehabilitation and correction shall determine and record the total number of days credit that the person provisionally earned in that calendar month. If the person in a state correctional institution violates prison rules or the person in the substance use disorder treatment program violates program or department rules, the department may deny the person a credit that otherwise could have been provisionally awarded to the person or may withdraw one or more credits previously provisionally earned by the person. Days of credit provisionally earned by a person shall be finalized and awarded by the department subject to administrative review by the department of the person's conduct.

(3) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, unless a person is serving a mandatory prison term or a prison term for an offense of violence or a sexually oriented offense, and notwithstanding the maximum aggregate total specified in division (A)(4) of this section, a person who successfully completes any diploma, equivalence, program, or criteria identified in divisions (A)(3)(a) to (g) of this section shall earn ninety days of credit toward satisfaction of the person's stated prison term or a ten per cent reduction of the person's stated prison term, whichever is less, for each such diploma, equivalence, program, or criteria successfully completed. The diplomas, equivalences, programs, and criteria for which credit shall be granted under this division, upon successful completion, are:

(a) An Ohio high school diploma or Ohio certificate of high school equivalence certified by the Ohio central school system;

(b) A therapeutic drug community program;

(c) All three phases of the department of rehabilitation and correction's intensive outpatient drug treatment program;

(d) A career technical vocational school program;

(e) A college certification program;

(f) The criteria for a certificate of achievement and employability as specified in division (A)(1) of section 2961.22 of the Revised Code;

(g) Any other constructive program developed by the department of rehabilitation and correction with specific standards for performance by prisoners.

(4) Except for persons described in division (A)(3) of this section, the aggregate days of credit provisionally earned by a person for program or activity participation and program and activity completion under this section and the aggregate days of credit finally credited to a person under this section shall not exceed fifteen per cent of the total number of days in the person's stated prison term.

(B) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules that specify the programs or activities for which credit may be earned under this section, the criteria for determining productive participation in, or completion of, the programs or activities and the criteria for awarding credit, including criteria for awarding additional credit for successful program or activity completion, and the criteria for denying or withdrawing previously provisionally earned credit as a result of a violation of prison rules, or program or department rules, whichever is applicable.

(C) No person confined in a state correctional institution or placed in a substance use disorder treatment program to whom any of the following applies shall be awarded any days of credit under division (A)(2) or (3) of this section:

(1) The person is serving a prison term that section 2929.13 or section 2929.14 of the Revised Code specifies cannot be reduced pursuant to this section or this chapter or is serving a sentence for which section 2967.13 or division (B) of section 2929.143 of the Revised Code specifies that the person is not entitled to any earned credit under this section.

(2) The person is sentenced to death or is serving a prison term or a term of life imprisonment for aggravated murder, murder, or a conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in committing, aggravated murder or murder.

(3) The person is serving a sentence of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2929.03 or 2929.06 of the Revised Code, a prison term or a term of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2971.03 of the Revised Code, or a sentence for a sexually oriented offense that was committed on or after September 30, 2011.

(D) This division does not apply to a determination of whether a person confined in a state correctional institution or placed in a substance use disorder treatment program may earn any days of credit under division (A)(2) of this section for successful completion of a second program or activity. The determination of whether a person confined in a state correctional institution may earn one day of credit or five days of credit under division (A)(2) of this section for each completed month during which the person productively participates in a program or activity specified under that division shall be made in accordance with the following:

(1) The offender may earn one day of credit under division (A)(2) of this section, except as provided in division (C) of this section, if the offender is serving a stated prison term that includes a prison term imposed for a sexually oriented offense that the offender committed prior to September 30, 2011.

(2) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, if division (D)(1) of this section does not apply to the offender, the offender may earn five days of credit under division (A)(2) of this section.

(E) The department annually shall seek and consider the written feedback of the Ohio prosecuting attorneys association, the Ohio judicial conference, the Ohio public defender, the Ohio association of criminal defense lawyers, and other organizations and associations that have an interest in the operation of the corrections system and the earned credits program under this section as part of its evaluation of the program and in determining whether to modify the program.

(F) Days of credit awarded under this section shall be applied toward satisfaction of a person's stated prison term as follows:

(1) Toward the definite prison term of a prisoner serving a definite prison term as a stated prison term;

(2) Toward the minimum and maximum terms of a prisoner serving an indefinite prison term imposed under division (A)(1)(a) or (2)(a) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code for a felony of the first or second degree committed on or after March 22, 2019.

(G) The provisions of this section apply to persons confined in a state correctional institution or in the substance use disorder treatment program on or after April 4, 2024, as follows:

(1) Subject to division (G)(2) of this section, the provisions apply to a person so confined regardless of whether the person committed the offense for which the person is confined in the institution or was placed in the program prior to, on, or after April 4, 2024, and regardless of whether the person was convicted of or pleaded guilty to that offense prior to, on, or after April 4, 2024.

(2) The provisions apply to a person so confined only with respect to the time that the person is so confined on and after April 4, 2024, and the provisions of section 2967.193 of the Revised Code that were in effect prior to April 4, 2024, and that applied to the person prior to that date, including the provisions of division (A)(4) of that section as amended by this act , apply to the person with respect to the time that the person was so confined prior to April 4, 2024.

(H) As used in this section:

(1) "Sexually oriented offense" has the same meaning as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Substance use disorder treatment program" means the substance use disorder treatment program established by the department of rehabilitation and correction under section 5120.035 of the Revised Code.

Last updated October 3, 2023 at 2:15 PM

Section 2967.21 | Transfer of prisoner does not affect term.

• Effective: July 1, 1996
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly

Any prisoner sentenced or committed to a state correctional institution may be transferred from that institution to another state correctional institution, but the prisoner shall continue to be subject to the same conditions as to the stated prison term, parole, and release as if the prisoner were confined in the institution to which the prisoner originally was sentenced or committed.

Section 2967.22 | Involuntary commitment of mentally ill person or person with intellectual disability subject to institutionalization by court order.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly

Whenever it is brought to the attention of the adult parole authority or a department of probation that a parolee, person under a community control sanction, person under transitional control, or releasee appears to be a person with a mental illness subject to court order, as defined in section 5122.01 of the Revised Code, or a person with an intellectual disability subject to institutionalization by court order, as defined in section 5123.01 of the Revised Code, the parole or probation officer, subject to the approval of the chief of the adult parole authority, the designee of the chief of the adult parole authority, or the chief probation officer, may file an affidavit under section 5122.11 or 5123.71 of the Revised Code. A parolee, person under a community control sanction, or releasee who is involuntarily detained under Chapter 5122. or 5123. of the Revised Code shall receive credit against the period of parole or community control or the term of post-release control for the period of involuntary detention.

If a parolee, person under a community control sanction, person under transitional control, or releasee escapes from an institution or facility within the department of mental health and addiction services or the department of developmental disabilities, the superintendent of the institution immediately shall notify the chief of the adult parole authority or the chief probation officer. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5122.26 of the Revised Code, the procedure for the apprehension, detention, and return of the parolee, person under a community control sanction, person under transitional control, or releasee is the same as that provided for the apprehension, detention, and return of persons who escape from institutions operated by the department of rehabilitation and correction. If the escaped parolee, person under transitional control, or releasee is not apprehended and returned to the custody of the department of mental health and addiction services or the department of developmental disabilities within ninety days after the escape, the parolee, person under transitional control, or releasee shall be discharged from the custody of the department of mental health and addiction services or the department of developmental disabilities and returned to the custody of the department of rehabilitation and correction. If the escaped person under a community control sanction is not apprehended and returned to the custody of the department of mental health and addiction services or the department of developmental disabilities within ninety days after the escape, the person under a community control sanction shall be discharged from the custody of the department of mental health and addiction services or the department of developmental disabilities and returned to the custody of the court that sentenced that person.

Last updated March 10, 2023 at 11:25 AM

Section 2967.26 | Transitional control program.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A)(1) The department of rehabilitation and correction, by rule, may establish a transitional control program for the purpose of closely monitoring a prisoner's adjustment to community supervision during the final one hundred eighty days of the prisoner's confinement. If the department establishes a transitional control program under this division, the division of parole and community services of the department of rehabilitation and correction may transfer eligible prisoners to transitional control status under the program during the final one hundred eighty days of their confinement and under the terms and conditions established by the department, shall provide for the confinement as provided in this division of each eligible prisoner so transferred, and shall supervise each eligible prisoner so transferred in one or more community control sanctions. Each eligible prisoner who is transferred to transitional control status under the program shall be confined in a suitable facility that is licensed pursuant to division (C) of section 2967.14 of the Revised Code, or shall be confined in a residence the department has approved for this purpose and be monitored pursuant to an electronic monitoring device, as defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code. If the department establishes a transitional control program under this division, the rules establishing the program shall include criteria that define which prisoners are eligible for the program, criteria that must be satisfied to be approved as a residence that may be used for confinement under the program of a prisoner that is transferred to it and procedures for the department to approve residences that satisfy those criteria, and provisions of the type described in division (C) of this section. At a minimum, the criteria that define which prisoners are eligible for the program shall provide all of the following:

(a) That a prisoner is eligible for the program if the prisoner is serving a prison term or term of imprisonment for an offense committed prior to March 17, 1998, and if, at the time at which eligibility is being determined, the prisoner would have been eligible for a furlough under this section as it existed immediately prior to March 17, 1998, or would have been eligible for conditional release under former section 2967.23 of the Revised Code as that section existed immediately prior to March 17, 1998;

(b) That no prisoner who is serving a mandatory prison term is eligible for the program until after expiration of the mandatory term;

(c) That no prisoner who is serving a prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2971.03 of the Revised Code is eligible for the program.

(2) At least sixty days prior to transferring to transitional control under this section a prisoner who is serving a definite term of imprisonment or definite prison term of less than one year for an offense committed on or after July 1, 1996, or who is serving a minimum term of less than one year under a non-life felony indefinite prison term, the division of parole and community services of the department of rehabilitation and correction shall give notice of the pendency of the transfer to transitional control to the court of common pleas of the county in which the indictment against the prisoner was found and of the fact that the court may disapprove the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control and shall include the institutional summary report prepared by the head of the state correctional institution in which the prisoner is confined. The head of the state correctional institution in which the prisoner is confined, upon the request of the division of parole and community services, shall provide to the division for inclusion in the notice sent to the court under this division an institutional summary report on the prisoner's conduct in the institution and in any institution from which the prisoner may have been transferred. The institutional summary report shall cover the prisoner's participation in school, vocational training, work, treatment, and other rehabilitative activities and any disciplinary action taken against the prisoner. If the court disapproves of the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control, the court shall notify the division of the disapproval within thirty days after receipt of the notice. If the court timely disapproves the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control, the division shall not proceed with the transfer. If the court does not timely disapprove the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control, the division may transfer the prisoner to transitional control.

(3)(a) If the victim of an offense for which a prisoner was sentenced to a prison term or term of imprisonment has requested notification under section 2930.16 of the Revised Code and has provided the department of rehabilitation and correction with the victim's name and address or if division (A)(3)(b) of this section applies, the division of parole and community services, at least sixty days prior to transferring the prisoner to transitional control pursuant to this section, shall notify the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, of the pendency of the transfer and of the victim's and victim's representative's right to submit a statement to the division regarding the impact of the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control. If the victim or victim's representative's subsequently submits a statement of that nature to the division, the division shall consider the statement in deciding whether to transfer the prisoner to transitional control.

(b) If a prisoner is incarcerated for the commission of aggravated murder, murder, or an offense of violence that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree or under a sentence of life imprisonment, except as otherwise provided in this division, the notice described in division (A)(3)(a) of this section shall be given regardless of whether the victim has requested the notification. The notice described in division (A)(3)(a) of this section shall not be given under this division to a victim if the victim has requested pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 2930.03 of the Revised Code that the victim not be provided the notice. If notice is to be provided to a victim under this division, the authority may give the notice by any reasonable means, including regular mail, telephone, and electronic mail, in accordance with division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. If the notice is based on an offense committed prior to March 22, 2013, the notice also shall include the opt-out information described in division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. The authority, in accordance with division (D)(2) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code, shall keep a record of all attempts to provide the notice, and of all notices provided, under this division.

Division (A)(3)(b) of this section, and the notice-related provisions of divisions (E)(2) and (K) of section 2929.20, division (D)(1) of section 2930.16, division (H) of section 2967.12, division (E)(1)(b) of section 2967.19 as it existed prior to April 4, 2023, division (D)(1) of section 2967.28, and division (A)(2) of section 5149.101 of the Revised Code enacted in the act in which division (A)(3)(b) of this section was enacted, shall be known as "Roberta's Law."

(4) The department of rehabilitation and correction, at least sixty days prior to transferring a prisoner to transitional control pursuant to this section, shall post on the database it maintains pursuant to section 5120.66 of the Revised Code the prisoner's name and all of the information specified in division (A)(1)(c)(iv) of that section. In addition to and independent of the right of a victim to submit a statement as described in division (A)(3) of this section or to otherwise make a statement and in addition to and independent of any other right or duty of a person to present information or make a statement, any person may send to the division of parole and community services at any time prior to the division's transfer of the prisoner to transitional control a written statement regarding the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control. In addition to the information, reports, and statements it considers under divisions (A)(2) and (3) of this section or that it otherwise considers, the division shall consider each statement submitted in accordance with this division in deciding whether to transfer the prisoner to transitional control.

(B) Each prisoner transferred to transitional control under this section shall be confined in the manner described in division (A) of this section during any period of time that the prisoner is not actually working at the prisoner's approved employment, engaged in a vocational training or another educational program, engaged in another program designated by the director, or engaged in other activities approved by the department.

(C) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules for transferring eligible prisoners to transitional control, supervising and confining prisoners so transferred, administering the transitional control program in accordance with this section, and using the moneys deposited into the transitional control fund established under division (E) of this section.

(D) The department of rehabilitation and correction may adopt rules for the issuance of passes for the limited purposes described in this division to prisoners who are transferred to transitional control under this section. If the department adopts rules of that nature, the rules shall govern the granting of the passes and shall provide for the supervision of prisoners who are temporarily released pursuant to one of those passes. Upon the adoption of rules under this division, the department may issue passes to prisoners who are transferred to transitional control status under this section in accordance with the rules and the provisions of this division. All passes issued under this division shall be for a maximum of forty-eight hours and may be issued only for the following purposes:

(1) To visit a relative in imminent danger of death;

(2) To have a private viewing of the body of a deceased relative;

(3) To visit with family;

(4) To otherwise aid in the rehabilitation of the prisoner.

(E) The division of parole and community services may require a prisoner who is transferred to transitional control to pay to the division the reasonable expenses incurred by the division in supervising or confining the prisoner while under transitional control. Inability to pay those reasonable expenses shall not be grounds for refusing to transfer an otherwise eligible prisoner to transitional control. Amounts received by the division of parole and community services under this division shall be deposited into the transitional control fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury and which hereby replaces and succeeds the furlough services fund that formerly existed in the state treasury. All moneys that remain in the furlough services fund on March 17, 1998, shall be transferred on that date to the transitional control fund. The transitional control fund shall be used solely to pay costs related to the operation of the transitional control program established under this section. The director of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code for the use of the fund.

(F) A prisoner who violates any rule established by the department of rehabilitation and correction under division (A), (C), or (D) of this section may be transferred to a state correctional institution pursuant to rules adopted under division (A), (C), or (D) of this section, but the prisoner shall receive credit towards completing the prisoner's sentence for the time spent under transitional control.

If a prisoner is transferred to transitional control under this section, upon successful completion of the period of transitional control, the prisoner may be released on parole or under post-release control pursuant to section 2967.13 or 2967.28 of the Revised Code and rules adopted by the department of rehabilitation and correction. If the prisoner is released under post-release control, the duration of the post-release control, the type of post-release control sanctions that may be imposed, the enforcement of the sanctions, and the treatment of prisoners who violate any sanction applicable to the prisoner are governed by section 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 28, 2023 at 1:25 PM

Section 2967.27 | Escorted visits.

• Effective: March 31, 2003
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 510 - 124th General Assembly

(A)(1) The department of rehabilitation and correction may grant escorted visits to prisoners confined in any state correctional facility for the limited purpose of visiting a relative in imminent danger of death or having a private viewing of the body of a deceased relative.

(2) Prior to granting any prisoner an escorted visit for the limited purpose of visiting a relative in imminent danger of death or having a private viewing of the body of a deceased relative under this section, the department shall notify its office of victims' services so that the office may provide assistance to any victim or victims of the offense committed by the prisoner and to members of the family of the victim.

(B) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules for the granting of escorted visits under this section and for supervising prisoners on an escorted visit.

(C) No prisoner shall be granted an escorted visit under this section if the prisoner is likely to pose a threat to the public safety or has a record of more than two felony commitments (including the present charge), not more than one of which may be for a crime of an assaultive nature.

(D) The procedure for granting an escorted visit under this section is separate from, and independent of, the transitional control program described in section 2967.26 of the Revised Code.

Section 2967.271 | Presumptions related to sentence to non-life felony indefinite prison term.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 201 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Offender's minimum prison term" means the minimum prison term imposed on an offender under a non-life felony indefinite prison term, diminished as provided in section 2967.191 or 2967.193 of the Revised Code or in any other provision of the Revised Code, other than division (F) of this section, that provides for diminution or reduction of an offender's sentence.

(2) "Offender's presumptive earned early release date" means the date that is determined under the procedures described in division (F) of this section by the reduction, if any, of an offender's minimum prison term by the sentencing court and the crediting of that reduction toward the satisfaction of the minimum term.

(3) "Rehabilitative programs and activities" means education programs, vocational training, employment in prison industries, treatment for substance abuse, or other constructive programs developed by the department of rehabilitation and correction with specific standards for performance by prisoners.

(4) "Security level" means the security level in which an offender is classified under the inmate classification level system of the department of rehabilitation and correction that then is in effect.

(5) "Sexually oriented offense" has the same meaning as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) When an offender is sentenced to a non-life felony indefinite prison term, there shall be a presumption that the person shall be released from service of the sentence on the expiration of the offender's minimum prison term or on the offender's presumptive earned early release date, whichever is earlier.

(C) The presumption established under division (B) of this section is a rebuttable presumption that the department of rehabilitation and correction may rebut as provided in this division. Unless the department rebuts the presumption, the offender shall be released from service of the sentence on the expiration of the offender's minimum prison term or on the offender's presumptive earned early release date, whichever is earlier. The department may rebut the presumption only if the department determines, at a hearing, that one or more of the following applies:

(1) Regardless of the security level in which the offender is classified at the time of the hearing, both of the following apply:

(a) During the offender's incarceration, the offender committed institutional rule infractions that involved compromising the security of a state correctional institution, compromising the safety of the staff of a state correctional institution or its inmates, or physical harm or the threat of physical harm to the staff of a state correctional institution or its inmates, or committed a violation of law that was not prosecuted, and the infractions or violations demonstrate that the offender has not been rehabilitated.

(b) The offender's behavior while incarcerated, including, but not limited to the infractions and violations specified in division (C)(1)(a) of this section, demonstrate that the offender continues to pose a threat to society.

(2) Regardless of the security level in which the offender is classified at the time of the hearing, the offender has been placed by the department in extended restrictive housing at any time within the year preceding the date of the hearing.

(3) At the time of the hearing, the offender is classified by the department as a security level three, four, or five, or at a higher security level.

(D)(1) If the department of rehabilitation and correction, pursuant to division (C) of this section, rebuts the presumption established under division (B) of this section, the department may maintain the offender's incarceration in a state correctional institution under the sentence after the expiration of the offender's minimum prison term or, for offenders who have a presumptive earned early release date, after the offender's presumptive earned early release date. The department may maintain the offender's incarceration under this division for an additional period of incarceration determined by the department. The additional period of incarceration shall be a reasonable period determined by the department, shall be specified by the department, and shall not exceed the offender's maximum prison term.

(2) If the department maintains an offender's incarceration for an additional period under division (D)(1) of this section, there shall be a presumption that the offender shall be released on the expiration of the offender's minimum prison term plus the additional period of incarceration specified by the department as provided under that division or, for offenders who have a presumptive earned early release date, on the expiration of the additional period of incarceration to be served after the offender's presumptive earned early release date that is specified by the department as provided under that division. The presumption is a rebuttable presumption that the department may rebut, but only if it conducts a hearing and makes the determinations specified in division (C) of this section, and if the department rebuts the presumption, it may maintain the offender's incarceration in a state correctional institution for an additional period determined as specified in division (D)(1) of this section. Unless the department rebuts the presumption at the hearing, the offender shall be released from service of the sentence on the expiration of the offender's minimum prison term plus the additional period of incarceration specified by the department or, for offenders who have a presumptive earned early release date, on the expiration of the additional period of incarceration to be served after the offender's presumptive earned early release date as specified by the department.

The provisions of this division regarding the establishment of a rebuttable presumption, the department's rebuttal of the presumption, and the department's maintenance of an offender's incarceration for an additional period of incarceration apply, and may be utilized more than one time, during the remainder of the offender's incarceration. If the offender has not been released under division (C) of this section or this division prior to the expiration of the offender's maximum prison term imposed as part of the offender's non-life felony indefinite prison term, the offender shall be released upon the expiration of that maximum term.

(E) The department shall provide notices of hearings to be conducted under division (C) or (D) of this section in the same manner, and to the same persons, as specified in section 2967.12 and Chapter 2930. of the Revised Code with respect to hearings to be conducted regarding the possible release on parole of an inmate.

(F)(1) The director of the department of rehabilitation and correction may notify the sentencing court in writing that the director is recommending that the court grant a reduction in the minimum prison term imposed on a specified offender who is serving a non-life felony indefinite prison term and who is eligible under division (F)(8) of this section for such a reduction, due to the offender's exceptional conduct while incarcerated or the offender's adjustment to incarceration. If the director wishes to recommend such a reduction for an offender, the director shall send the notice to the court not earlier than ninety days prior to the date on which the director wishes to credit the reduction toward the satisfaction of the offender's minimum prison term. If the director recommends such a reduction for an offender, there shall be a presumption that the court shall grant the recommended reduction to the offender. The presumption established under this division is a rebuttable presumption that may be rebutted as provided in division (F)(4) of this section.

The director shall include with the notice sent to a court under this division an institutional summary report that covers the offender's participation while confined in a state correctional institution in rehabilitative programs and activities and any disciplinary action taken against the offender while so confined, and any other documentation requested by the court, if available.

The notice the director sends to a court under this division shall do all of the following:

(a) Identify the offender;

(b) Specify the length of the recommended reduction, which shall be for five to fifteen per cent of the offender's minimum term determined in accordance with rules adopted by the department under division (F)(7) of this section;

(c) Specify the reason or reasons that qualify the offender for the recommended reduction;

(d) Inform the court of the rebuttable presumption and that the court must either approve or, if the court finds that the presumption has been rebutted, disapprove of the recommended reduction, and that if it approves of the recommended reduction, it must grant the reduction;

(e) Inform the court that it must notify the department of its decision as to approval or disapproval not later than sixty days after receipt of the notice from the director.

(2) When the director, under division (F)(1) of this section, submits a notice to a sentencing court that the director is recommending that the court grant a reduction in the minimum prison term imposed on an offender serving a non-life felony indefinite prison term, the department promptly shall provide to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the offender was indicted a copy of the written notice, a copy of the institutional summary report described in that division, and any other information provided to the court.

(3) Upon receipt of a notice submitted by the director under division (F)(1) of this section, the court shall schedule a hearing to consider whether to grant the reduction in the minimum prison term imposed on the specified offender that was recommended by the director or to find that the presumption has been rebutted and disapprove the recommended reduction. Upon scheduling the hearing, the court promptly shall give notice of the hearing to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the offender was indicted and to the department. The notice shall inform the prosecuting attorney that the prosecuting attorney may submit to the court, prior to the date of the hearing, written information relevant to the recommendation and may present at the hearing written information and oral information relevant to the recommendation.

Upon receipt of the notice from the court, the prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim of the offender or the victim's representative of the recommendation by the director, the date, time, and place of the hearing, the fact that the victim may submit to the court, prior to the date of the hearing, written information relevant to the recommendation, and the address and procedure for submitting the information.

(4) At the hearing scheduled under division (F)(3) of this section, the court shall afford the prosecuting attorney an opportunity to present written information and oral information relevant to the director's recommendation. In making its determination as to whether to grant or disapprove the reduction in the minimum prison term imposed on the specified offender that was recommended by the director, the court shall consider any report and other documentation submitted by the director, any information submitted by a victim, any information submitted or presented at the hearing by the prosecuting attorney, and all of the factors set forth in divisions (B) to (D) of section 2929.12 of the Revised Code that are relevant to the offender's offense and to the offender.

Unless the court, after considering at the hearing the specified reports, documentation, information, and relevant factors, finds that the presumption that the recommended reduction shall be granted has been rebutted and disapproves the recommended reduction, the court shall grant the recommended reduction. The court may disapprove the recommended reduction only if, after considering at the hearing the specified reports, documentation, information, and relevant factors, it finds that the presumption that the reduction shall be granted has been rebutted. The court may find that the presumption has been rebutted and disapprove the recommended reduction only if it determines at the hearing that one or more of the following applies:

(a) Regardless of the security level in which the offender is classified at the time of the hearing, during the offender's incarceration, the offender committed institutional rule infractions that involved compromising the security of a state correctional institution, compromising the safety of the staff of a state correctional institution or its inmates, or physical harm or the threat of physical harm to the staff of a state correctional institution or its inmates, or committed a violation of law that was not prosecuted, and the infractions or violations demonstrate that the offender has not been rehabilitated.

(b) The offender's behavior while incarcerated, including, but not limited to, the infractions and violations specified in division (F)(4)(a) of this section, demonstrates that the offender continues to pose a threat to society.

(c) At the time of the hearing, the offender is classified by the department as a security level three, four, or five, or at a higher security level.

(d) During the offender's incarceration, the offender did not productively participate in a majority of the rehabilitative programs and activities recommended by the department for the offender, or the offender participated in a majority of such recommended programs or activities but did not successfully complete a reasonable number of the programs or activities in which the offender participated.

(e) After release, the offender will not be residing in a halfway house, reentry center, or community residential center licensed under division (C) of section 2967.14 of the Revised Code and, after release, does not have any other place to reside at a fixed residence address.

(5) If the court pursuant to division (F)(4) of this section finds that the presumption that the recommended reduction in the offender's minimum prison term has been rebutted and disapproves the recommended reduction, the court shall notify the department of the disapproval not later than sixty days after receipt of the notice from the director. The court shall specify in the notification the reason or reasons for which it found that the presumption was rebutted and disapproved the recommended reduction. The court shall not reduce the offender's minimum prison term, and the department shall not credit the amount of the disapproved reduction toward satisfaction of the offender's minimum prison term.

If the court pursuant to division (F)(4) of this section grants the recommended reduction of the offender's minimum prison term, the court shall notify the department of the grant of the reduction not later than sixty days after receipt of the notice from the director, the court shall reduce the offender's minimum prison term in accordance with the recommendation submitted by the director, and the department shall credit the amount of the reduction toward satisfaction of the offender's minimum prison term.

Upon deciding whether to disapprove or grant the recommended reduction of the offender's minimum prison term, the court shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the decision and the prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim or victim's representative of the court's decision.

(6) If the court under division (F)(5) of this section grants the reduction in the minimum prison term imposed on an offender that was recommended by the director and reduces the offender's minimum prison term, the date determined by the department's crediting of the reduction toward satisfaction of the offender's minimum prison term is the offender's presumptive earned early release date.

(7) The department of rehabilitation and correction by rule shall specify both of the following for offenders serving a non-life felony indefinite prison term:

(a) The type of exceptional conduct while incarcerated and the type of adjustment to incarceration that will qualify an offender serving such a prison term for a reduction under divisions (F)(1) to (6) of this section of the minimum prison term imposed on the offender under the non-life felony indefinite prison term.

(b) The per cent of reduction that it may recommend for, and that may be granted to, an offender serving such a prison term under divisions (F)(1) to (6) of this section, based on the offense level of the offense for which the prison term was imposed, with the department specifying the offense levels used for purposes of this division and assigning a specific percentage reduction within the range of five to fifteen per cent for each such offense level.

(8) Divisions (F)(1) to (6) of this section do not apply with respect to an offender serving a non-life felony indefinite prison term for a sexually oriented offense, and no offender serving such a prison term for a sexually oriented offense is eligible to be recommended for or granted, or may be recommended for or granted, a reduction under those divisions in the offender's minimum prison term imposed under that non-life felony indefinite prison term.

(G) If an offender is sentenced to a non-life felony indefinite prison term, any reference in a section of the Revised Code to a definite prison term shall be construed as referring to the offender's minimum term under that sentence plus any additional period of time of incarceration specified by the department under division (D)(1) or (2) of this section, except to the extent otherwise specified in the section or to the extent that that construction clearly would be inappropriate.

Section 2967.28 | Post-release controls - failure to notify offender.

• Effective: April 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Monitored time" means the monitored time sanction specified in section 2929.17 and defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Deadly weapon" and "dangerous ordnance" have the same meanings as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Felony sex offense" means a violation of a section contained in Chapter 2907. of the Revised Code that is a felony.

(4) "Risk reduction sentence" means a prison term imposed by a court, when the court recommends pursuant to section 2929.143 of the Revised Code that the offender serve the sentence under section 5120.036 of the Revised Code, and the offender may potentially be released from imprisonment prior to the expiration of the prison term if the offender successfully completes all assessment and treatment or programming required by the department of rehabilitation and correction under section 5120.036 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Victim's immediate family" has the same meaning as in section 2967.12 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Minor drug possession offense" has the same meaning as in section 2925.11 of the Revised Code.

(7) "Single validated risk assessment tool" means the single validated risk assessment tool selected by the department of rehabilitation and correction under section 5120.114 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each sentence to a prison term, other than a term of life imprisonment, for a felony of the first degree, for a felony of the second degree, for a felony sex offense, or for a felony of the third degree that is an offense of violence and is not a felony sex offense shall include a requirement that the offender be subject to a period of post-release control imposed by the parole board after the offender's release from imprisonment. This division applies with respect to all prison terms of a type described in this division, including a term of any such type that is a risk reduction sentence. If a court imposes a sentence including a prison term of a type described in this division on or after July 11, 2006, the failure of a sentencing court to notify the offender pursuant to division (B)(2)(d) of section 2929.19 of the Revised Code of this requirement or to include in the judgment of conviction entered on the journal a statement that the offender's sentence includes this requirement does not negate, limit, or otherwise affect the mandatory period of supervision that is required for the offender under this division. This division applies with respect to all prison terms of a type described in this division, including a non-life felony indefinite prison term. Section 2929.191 of the Revised Code applies if, prior to July 11, 2006, a court imposed a sentence including a prison term of a type described in this division and failed to notify the offender pursuant to division (B)(2)(d) of section 2929.19 of the Revised Code regarding post-release control or to include in the judgment of conviction entered on the journal or in the sentence pursuant to division (D)(1) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code a statement regarding post-release control. Unless reduced by the parole board pursuant to division (D) of this section when authorized under that division, a period of post-release control required by this division for an offender shall be of one of the following periods:

(1) For a felony sex offense, five years;

(2) For a felony of the first degree that is not a felony sex offense, up to five years, but not less than two years;

(3) For a felony of the second degree that is not a felony sex offense, up to three years, but not less than eighteen months;

(4) For a felony of the third degree that is an offense of violence and is not a felony sex offense, up to three years, but not less than one year.

(C) Any sentence to a prison term for a felony of the third, fourth, or fifth degree that is not subject to division (B)(1) or (4) of this section shall include a requirement that the offender be subject to a period of post-release control of up to two years after the offender's release from imprisonment, if the parole board, in accordance with division (D) of this section, determines that a period of post-release control is necessary for that offender. This division applies with respect to all prison terms of a type described in this division, including a term of any such type that is a risk reduction sentence. Section 2929.191 of the Revised Code applies if, prior to July 11, 2006, a court imposed a sentence including a prison term of a type described in this division and failed to notify the offender pursuant to division (B)(2)(e) of section 2929.19 of the Revised Code regarding post-release control or to include in the judgment of conviction entered on the journal or in the sentence pursuant to division (D)(2) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code a statement regarding post-release control. Pursuant to an agreement entered into under section 2967.29 of the Revised Code, a court of common pleas or parole board may impose sanctions or conditions on an offender who is placed on post-release control under this division.

(D)(1) Before the prisoner is released from imprisonment, the parole board or, pursuant to an agreement under section 2967.29 of the Revised Code, the court shall impose on a prisoner described in division (B) of this section, shall impose on a prisoner described in division (C) of this section who is to be released before the expiration of the prisoner's stated prison term under a risk reduction sentence, may impose on a prisoner described in division (C) of this section who is not to be released before the expiration of the prisoner's stated prison term under a risk reduction sentence, and shall impose on a prisoner described in division (B)(2)(b) of section 5120.031 or in division (B)(1) of section 5120.032 of the Revised Code, one or more post-release control sanctions to apply during the prisoner's period of post-release control. Whenever the board or court imposes one or more post-release control sanctions on a prisoner, the board or court, in addition to imposing the sanctions, also shall include as a condition of the post-release control that the offender not leave the state without permission of the court or the offender's parole or probation officer and that the offender abide by the law. The board or court may impose any other conditions of release under a post-release control sanction that the board or court considers appropriate, and the conditions of release may include any community residential sanction, community nonresidential sanction, or financial sanction that the sentencing court was authorized to impose pursuant to sections 2929.16, 2929.17, and 2929.18 of the Revised Code. Prior to the release of a prisoner for whom it will impose one or more post-release control sanctions under this division, the parole board or court shall review the prisoner's criminal history, results from the single validated risk assessment tool, and the record of the prisoner's conduct while imprisoned. The parole board or court shall consider any recommendation regarding post-release control sanctions for the prisoner made by the office of victims' services. After considering those materials, the board or court shall determine, for a prisoner described in division (B) of this section, division (B)(2)(b) of section 5120.031, or division (B)(1) of section 5120.032 of the Revised Code and for a prisoner described in division (C) of this section who is to be released before the expiration of the prisoner's stated prison term under a risk reduction sentence, which post-release control sanction or combination of post-release control sanctions is reasonable under the circumstances or, for a prisoner described in division (C) of this section who is not to be released before the expiration of the prisoner's stated prison term under a risk reduction sentence, whether a post-release control sanction is necessary and, if so, which post-release control sanction or combination of post-release control sanctions is reasonable under the circumstances. In the case of a prisoner convicted of a felony of the fourth or fifth degree other than a felony sex offense, the board or court shall presume that monitored time is the appropriate post-release control sanction unless the board or court determines that a more restrictive sanction is warranted. A post-release control sanction imposed under this division takes effect upon the prisoner's release from imprisonment.

Regardless of whether the prisoner was sentenced to the prison term prior to, on, or after July 11, 2006, prior to the release of a prisoner for whom it will impose one or more post-release control sanctions under this division, the parole board shall notify the prisoner that, if the prisoner violates any sanction so imposed or any condition of post-release control described in division (B) of section 2967.131 of the Revised Code that is imposed on the prisoner, the parole board may impose a prison term of up to one-half of the stated prison term originally imposed on the prisoner.

At least thirty days before the prisoner is released from imprisonment under post-release control, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the department of rehabilitation and correction shall notify the victim and the victim's immediate family of the date on which the prisoner will be released, the period for which the prisoner will be under post-release control supervision, and the terms and conditions of the prisoner's post-release control regardless of whether the victim or victim's immediate family has requested the notification. The notice described in this paragraph shall not be given to a victim or victim's immediate family if the victim or the victim's immediate family has requested pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 2930.03 of the Revised Code that the notice not be provided to the victim or the victim's immediate family. At least thirty days before the prisoner is released from imprisonment and regardless of whether the victim or victim's immediate family has requested that the notice described in this paragraph be provided or not be provided to the victim or the victim's immediate family, the department also shall provide notice of that nature to the prosecuting attorney in the case and the law enforcement agency that arrested the prisoner if any officer of that agency was a victim of the offense.

If the notice given under the preceding paragraph to the victim or the victim's immediate family is based on an offense committed prior to March 22, 2013, and if the department of rehabilitation and correction has not previously successfully provided any notice to the victim or the victim's immediate family under division (B), (C), or (D) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code with respect to that offense and the offender who committed it, the notice also shall inform the victim or the victim's immediate family that the victim or the victim's immediate family may request that the victim or the victim's immediate family not be provided any further notices with respect to that offense and the offender who committed it and shall describe the procedure for making that request. The department may give the notices to which the preceding paragraph applies by any reasonable means, including regular mail, telephone, and electronic mail. If the department attempts to provide notice to any specified person under the preceding paragraph but the attempt is unsuccessful because the department is unable to locate the specified person, is unable to provide the notice by its chosen method because it cannot determine the mailing address, electronic mail address, or telephone number at which to provide the notice, or, if the notice is sent by mail, the notice is returned, the department shall make another attempt to provide the notice to the specified person. If the second attempt is unsuccessful, the department shall make at least one more attempt to provide the notice. If the notice is based on an offense committed prior to March 22, 2013, in each attempt to provide the notice to the victim or victim's immediate family, the notice shall include the opt-out information described in this paragraph. The department, in the manner described in division (D)(2) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code, shall keep a record of all attempts to provide the notice, and of all notices provided, under this paragraph and the preceding paragraph. The record shall be considered as if it was kept under division (D)(2) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. This paragraph, the preceding paragraph, and the notice-related provisions of divisions (E)(2) and (K) of section 2929.20, division (D)(1) of section 2930.16, division (H) of section 2967.12, division (E)(1)(b) of section 2967.19 as it existed prior to the effective date of this amendmen t, division (A)(3)(b) of section 2967.26, and division (A)(2) of section 5149.101 of the Revised Code enacted in the act in which this paragraph and the preceding paragraph were enacted, shall be known as "Roberta's Law."

(2) If a prisoner who is placed on post-release control under this section is released before the expiration of the definite term that is the prisoner's stated prison term or the expiration of the minimum term that is part of the prisoner's indefinite prison term imposed under a non-life felony indefinite prison term by reason of credit earned under section 2967.193 or 2967.194 or a reduction under division (F) of section 2967.271 of the Revised Code and if the prisoner earned sixty or more days of credit, the adult parole authority may supervise the offender with an active global positioning system device for the first fourteen days after the offender's release from imprisonment. This division does not prohibit or limit the imposition of any post-release control sanction otherwise authorized by this section.

(3) After a prisoner is released from imprisonment and during the period of post-release control applicable to the releasee, the adult parole authority or, pursuant to an agreement under section 2967.29 of the Revised Code, the court may review the releasee's behavior under the post-release control sanctions imposed upon the releasee under this section. The authority or court may determine, based upon the review and in accordance with the standards established under division (E) of this section, that the releasee has satisfactorily complied with the sanctions imposed, and if such a determination is made, the authority may recommend a less restrictive sanction, reduce the period of post-release control, or, no sooner than the minimum period of time required under section 2967.16 of the Revised Code, recommend that the parole board or court terminate the duration of the period of post-release control. In no case shall the board or court reduce the duration of the period of control imposed for a felony sex offense described in division (B)(1) of this section.

(4) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall develop factors that the parole board or court shall consider in determining under division (D)(3) of this section whether to terminate the period of control imposed on a releasee.

(E) The department of rehabilitation and correction, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules that do all of the following:

(1) Establish standards for the imposition by the parole board of post-release control sanctions under this section that are consistent with the overriding purposes and sentencing principles set forth in section 2929.11 of the Revised Code and that are appropriate to the needs of releasees;

(2) Establish standards that provide for a period of post-release control of up to two years for all prisoners described in division (C) of this section who are to be released before the expiration of their stated prison term under a risk reduction sentence and standards by which the parole board can determine which prisoners described in division (C) of this section who are not to be released before the expiration of their stated prison term under a risk reduction sentence should be placed under a period of post-release control;

(3) Establish standards to be used by the parole board in reducing or terminating the duration of the period of post-release control imposed by the court when authorized under division (D) of this section, in imposing a more restrictive post-release control sanction than monitored time on a prisoner convicted of a felony of the fourth or fifth degree other than a felony sex offense, or in imposing a less restrictive control sanction on a releasee based on results from the single validated risk assessment tool and on the releasee's activities including, but not limited to, remaining free from criminal activity and from the abuse of alcohol or other drugs, successfully participating in approved rehabilitation programs, maintaining employment, and paying restitution to the victim or meeting the terms of other financial sanctions;

(4) Establish standards to be used by the adult parole authority in modifying a releasee's post-release control sanctions pursuant to division (D)(2) of this section;

(5) Establish standards to be used by the adult parole authority or parole board in imposing further sanctions under division (F) of this section on releasees who violate post-release control sanctions, including standards that do the following:

(a) Classify violations according to the degree of seriousness;

(b) Define the circumstances under which formal action by the parole board is warranted;

(c) Govern the use of evidence at violation hearings;

(d) Ensure procedural due process to an alleged violator;

(e) Prescribe nonresidential community control sanctions for most misdemeanor and technical violations;

(f) Provide procedures for the return of a releasee to imprisonment for violations of post-release control.

(F)(1) Whenever the parole board imposes one or more post-release control sanctions on an offender under this section, the offender upon release from imprisonment shall be under the general jurisdiction of the adult parole authority and generally shall be supervised by the field services section through its staff of parole and field officers as described in section 5149.04 of the Revised Code, as if the offender had been placed on parole. If the offender upon release from imprisonment violates the post-release control sanction or any conditions described in division (A) of section 2967.131 of the Revised Code that are imposed on the offender, the public or private person or entity that operates or administers the sanction or the program or activity that comprises the sanction shall report the violation directly to the adult parole authority or to the officer of the authority who supervises the offender. The authority's officers may treat the offender as if the offender were on parole and in violation of the parole, and otherwise shall comply with this section.

(2) If the adult parole authority or, pursuant to an agreement under section 2967.29 of the Revised Code, the court determines that a releasee has violated a post-release control sanction or any conditions described in division (A) of section 2967.131 of the Revised Code imposed on the releasee and that a more restrictive sanction is appropriate, the authority or court may impose a more restrictive sanction on the releasee, in accordance with the standards established under division (E) of this section or in accordance with the agreement made under section 2967.29 of the Revised Code, or may report the violation to the parole board for a hearing pursuant to division (F)(3) of this section. The authority or court may not, pursuant to this division, increase the duration of the releasee's post-release control or impose as a post-release control sanction a residential sanction that includes a prison term, but the authority or court may impose on the releasee any other residential sanction, nonresidential sanction, or financial sanction that the sentencing court was authorized to impose pursuant to sections 2929.16, 2929.17, and 2929.18 of the Revised Code.

(3) The parole board or, pursuant to an agreement under section 2967.29 of the Revised Code, the court may hold a hearing on any alleged violation by a releasee of a post-release control sanction or any conditions described in division (A) of section 2967.131 of the Revised Code that are imposed upon the releasee. Except as otherwise provided in this division, if after the hearing the board or court finds that the releasee violated the sanction or condition, the board or court may increase the duration of the releasee's post-release control up to the maximum duration authorized by division (B) or (C) of this section or impose a more restrictive post-release control sanction. If a releasee was acting pursuant to division (B)(2)(b) of section 2925.11 or a related provision of section 2925.12, 2925.14, or 2925.141 of the Revised Code and in so doing violated the conditions of a post-release control sanction based on a minor drug possession offense, as defined in that section, or violated section 2925.12, division (C)(1) of section 2925.14, or section 2925.141 of the Revised Code, the board or the court shall not impose any of the penalties described in this division based on the violation. When appropriate, the board or court may impose as a post-release control sanction a residential sanction that includes a prison term. The board or court shall consider a prison term as a post-release control sanction imposed for a violation of post-release control when the violation involves a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance, physical harm or attempted serious physical harm to a person, or sexual misconduct. Unless a releasee's stated prison term was reduced pursuant to section 5120.032 of the Revised Code, the period of a prison term that is imposed as a post-release control sanction under this division shall not exceed nine months, and the maximum cumulative prison term for all violations under this division shall not exceed one-half of the definite prison term that was the stated prison term originally imposed on the offender as part of this sentence or, with respect to a stated non-life felony indefinite prison term, one-half of the minimum prison term that was imposed as part of that stated prison term originally imposed on the offender. If a releasee's stated prison term was reduced pursuant to section 5120.032 of the Revised Code, the period of a prison term that is imposed as a post-release control sanction under this division and the maximum cumulative prison term for all violations under this division shall not exceed the period of time not served in prison under the sentence imposed by the court. The period of a prison term that is imposed as a post-release control sanction under this division shall not count as, or be credited toward, the remaining period of post-release control. If, during the period of the releasee's post-release control, the releasee serves as a post-release control sanction the maximum prison time available as a sanction, the post-release control shall terminate.

If an offender is imprisoned for a felony committed while under post-release control supervision and is again released on post-release control for a period of time, the maximum cumulative prison term for all violations under this division shall not exceed one-half of the total stated prison terms of the earlier felony, reduced by any prison term administratively imposed by the parole board or court, plus one-half of the total stated prison term of the new felony.

(G)(1) If an offender is simultaneously subject to a period of parole under an indefinite or life sentence and a period of post-release control, or is simultaneously subject to two periods of post-release control, the period of supervision that expires last shall determine the length and form of supervision for all the periods and the related sentences.

(2) An offender shall receive credit for post-release control supervision during the period of parole, and shall not be eligible for final release under section 2967.16 of the Revised Code until the post-release control period otherwise would have ended.

(3) If the period of parole ends prior to the end of the period of post-release control, the requirements of parole supervision shall be satisfied during the post-release control period.

(H)(1) A period of post-release control shall not be imposed consecutively to any other post-release control period.

(2) The period of post-release control for a releasee who commits a felony while under post-release control for an earlier felony shall be the longer of the period of post-release control specified for the new felony under division (B) or (C) of this section or the time remaining under the period of post-release control imposed for the earlier felony as determined by the parole board or court.

Last updated February 23, 2023 at 8:26 AM

Section 2967.29 | Agreement for joint supervision of parolee.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 130 - 127th General Assembly

(A) A court of common pleas may cooperate with the department of rehabilitation and correction in the supervision of offenders who return to the court's territorial jurisdiction after serving a prison term. The court, after consultation with the board of county commissioners, may enter into an agreement with the department allowing the court and the parole board to make joint decisions relating to parole and post-release control to the extent permitted by section 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

(B) An agreement made under this section shall include at least all of the following:

(1) The categories of offenders with regard to which the court may participate in making decisions;

(2) The process by which the offenders in each category will be identified;

(3) The process by which the court and the parole board will monitor offenders and make recommendations regarding programming while the offenders are in prison;

(4) The process by which the court will participate in setting appropriate sanctions and conditions on offenders who leave prison on post-release control or parole;

(5) The process by which the court may participate in reducing the duration of the period of post-release control;

(6) Guidelines for the supervision of offenders under post-release control or parole supervision;

(7) Guidelines for sanctions for violations of parole or post-release control;

(8) Provisions that take into account the perspective of affected victims.

(C) A court that enters into an agreement under this section shall provide the department of rehabilitation and correction with a presentence investigation upon the offender's admission to prison. The department shall provide the court with a summary of an offender's progress while in prison prior to the release of the offender.