Board Meeting August 25, 2010

Assisting the state with transitionally released offenders and offenders sentenced to prison for less than one year, which may provide additional revenue dollars, is something officials will look into following Wednesday�s meeting of the Corrections Commission of Northwest Ohio.

Jim Dennis, CCNO Executive Director, said the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) has a transitional control program in which prisoners are released early as they near completion of their sentence. If that person acts up following release by violating probation, state officials would like to send that person to CCNO instead of a state operated facility. Also discussed was those sentenced to prison for less than one year that the ODRC wants to divert from prison. He noted that the Cuyahoga County Jail created a special unit as a prison diversion program and received special grant funding to finance the project.

The concern is that when CCNO was founded the operational agreement stipulated that CCNO would not contract with the state to hold prisoners, said Mr. Dennis, although the state-operated transitional control program and probation and parole violators already come to CCNO. He said a unit could be converted to serve as a diversion unit but it could also reduce the amount of beds available for area judges. There was concern about future overcrowding.

Comments made by board members included the possibility of additional revenues to offset operating costs; state officials having more control over jail operations if they funded a prison diversion program; and public perception about CCNO accepting state prisoners. These would be the same offenders a judge has already had in front of them.

The board instructed Mr. Dennis to look further into CCNO housing these offenders. Mr. Dennis said he will also discuss the matter with members of the local and regional community corrections planning board members.

Members approved a reorganization within CCNO with the retirement of a director in an effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency. With the position not filled, three departments will be reduced to two � Department of Administration and Department of Operations. Mr. Dennis said the proposed changes came about after conducting an internal assessment involving 80 percent of CCNO staff as well as meeting with six focus groups to validate the survey and discuss the organization�s structure.

In his operational report, Mr. Dennis said Wednesday�s population stood at 578 or 90 percent. He noted that it was the first time in 18 months that the population had reached 90 percent. Mr. Dennis said there has been an increase in inmates from Toledo as well as Lucas, Defiance and Henry counties. The average daily population for July stood at 533 or 84 percent.

Mr. Dennis reported an average of 50 participants in EMU/GPS which has been steadily decreasing. He said officials may want to look at developing other diversion programs to include serving those with mental health concerns as well as help reduce the recidivism rate.

CCNO has a recidivism rate of 41 percent, said Mr. Dennis, which is good for a local jail. But he added that some 60 to 80 inmates return to CCNO four or more times per year and most have mental health issues. While they are attending treatment programs offered within CCNO, there is an apparent need to do things differently to prevent such inmates from returning and causing problems for area law enforcement.

Board members authorized bids to be sought to improve the roof structure and fix leaking roofs above the mezzanine and ring corridor of the main facility. Also approved was the purchase of computer servers to update the system estimated at $23,000 and well as the purchase of electronic restraining devices at a cost of $3,600.

Members met in executive session for 18 minutes to discuss possible litigation and negotiations. No action was taken.