Public comment on the Sentencing Commission's report is open until Feb. 1.

Public comment on the Sentencing Commission's report is open until Feb. 1.

The Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission is accepting public comment on its recommendations to improve clarity and reduce complexity for felony sentencing in the state.

The Criminal Sentencing Commission recently released a report that details the current felony sentencing system and how it has evolved since being established through law in 1996. The 80-page document details 12 specific adjustments the Sentencing Commission believes would restructure the system to be more fair and consistent.

The base for the commission’s recommendations is focused on a modified and modernized system that maintains a standard of consistent and proportional sentences while allowing flexibility for distinctions between jurisdictions.

For courts, the commission advises the use of uniform sentencing entries and pre-sentencing investigation reports. Both are used to standardize data entry and create a universal understanding of what goes into sentencing decisions across the state. Currently, 48 counties are working with the commission as part of a pilot project – the Ohio Sentencing Data Platform – that utilizes uniform sentencing entries and provides judges instantaneous, statewide examples to compare sentences for similar offenses.

The commission also recommends courts and prosecutors invest more in alternative forms of rehabilitation. The commission believes diversion programs and specialized dockets allow courts and community partners to address a person’s issues beyond a criminal offense.

The commission recognizes that for a systemic shift to occur, it will require involvement from all branches of government. The commission’s suggestion is to move toward a sentencing structure that does not require mandatory minimum sentences, and allows for flexibility with punishments to reward good behavior with options for early release from prison.

For this more adjustable system, the commission is asking that the state’s parole model align with court decisions, and requesting that lawmakers include third-degree felonies – sentences with a maximum of five years – be eligible for early release.

The commission is also asking legislators to simplify and reorganize criminal statutes. The 1996 “Truth in Sentencing Bill” established mandatory minimum sentences for offenses, but since then rules about felony sentencing have expanded and become more complex, making it harder to understand.

Public comments should be submitted in writing or via email by Feb. 1, 2023 to:

Sara Andrews
Director, Criminal Sentencing Commission
65 S. Front St., 5th floor
Columbus, OH 43215-3431
Sara.Andrews@sc.ohio.gov

Please include your full name and mailing address in any comments submitted by e-mail.