NCJ Number
54001
Date Published
1977
Length
16 pages
Annotation
TWO STUDIES OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OHIO'S STATE PROBATION SYSTEM IN MINIMIZING RATES OF IMPRISONMENT ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
AT THE END OF 1975, 100 STATE PROBATION OFFICERS WERE SERVING ON A STATE-COUNTY CONTRACT BASIS IN 55 OF OHIO'S 88 COMMON PLEAS COURTS. THE COURTS PROVIDE OFFICE SPACE; THE STATE PROVIDES TRAINED OFFICERS AND PAYS THEIR EXPENSES. THE OFFICERS ARE UNDER THE STATE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM AND MAY EITHER SUPPLEMENT COUNTY PROBATION STAFF OR PROVIDE ALL PROBATION SERVICES IN A COUNTY. TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE STATE PROBATION SYSTEM WAS CONTRIBUTING TO OHIO'S GROWING RATE OF INCARCERATION, COMPARISONS WERE DRAWN BETWEEN COMMITMENT-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF STATE OFFICERS AND THOSE OF COUNTY OFFICERS. RATES WERE LOWER FOR STATE THAN FOR COUNTY OFFICERS FOR BOTH INITIAL COMMITMENTS REFLECTING THE OFFICERS' PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMITMENTS FOR PROBATION VIOLATIONS. A SECOND STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE STATE PROBATION SYSTEM'S CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCEDURE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE OFFICERS' RELATIVELY LOW COMMITMENT RATES. UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW, STATE OFFICERS SUBMITTED THEIR PRESENTENCE AND PROBATION VIOLATION REPORTS FOR REVIEW BY CASE ANALYSTS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THE REPORTS TO THE COURT. IN RESPONSE TO FISCAL CONSTRAINTS, ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW WAS ELIMINATED IN JULY 1975. ANALYSIS OF COMMITMENT RATES BEFORE AND AFTER ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW WAS ELIMINATED INDICATES THAT THIS CENTRAL CONTROL HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MINIMIZING INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENTS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, IN 1975, THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW SYSTEM COST $50,000 AND THAT THE COST OF INCREASED COMMITMENTS IN 1976, AFTER ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW WAS ELIMINATED, WAS $907,758. THE FIELD REVIEW SYSTEM THAT REPLACED CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW IS NOT DESCRIBED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)