Summit County, Ohio: Judge Amy Corrigall Jones, Administrative Judge of the Summit County Common Pleas Court General Division, announces that Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, Summit County Sheriff Steve Barry, and Administrative Judge Amy Corrigall Jones have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding under the Ohio Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison (TCAP) program.

The State Legislature has implemented new regulations which will prohibit counties from sending Felony 5 offenders (with some minor exceptions) to prison. As enacted, TCAP will target Felony 5 offenses that are non-violent, are not sex offenses, and do not require mandatory prison terms. Summit County is one of ten targeted counties that must participate in the program beginning in July 2018.

“Summit County continues to focus on collaborations and partnerships as we work proactively through state budget cuts and mandates,” said County Executive Ilene Shapiro. “Summit’s multi-dimensional approach will responsibly use this grant funding to target the needs of the affected individuals throughout the criminal justice system.”

“In light of the state’s legislative directive mandating participation in the TCAP program, I am grateful that we were able to collaborate with other local county stakeholders to arrive at a consensus regarding the burden placed on our local government,” said Judge Amy Corrigall Jones. “The Court will use the apportioned funding to increase and enhance pretrial and probation services in order to meet the additional demands that are being placed on the Summit County justice system. Our continued goal is to attempt to reduce recidivism and to protect the community, while addressing treatment needs of those who find themselves in the system.”

This multi-dimensional approach will provide judges with additional supervision, programming, and treatment options for those individuals who will now be sentenced locally as a result of TCAP, as well as for other low level offenders. It includes investments in GED and other skill building classes, as well as electronic monitoring, day reporting, and work release programs. It will also be used to pay for Sheriff’s Office staff who determine program eligibility of inmates for population control purposes and includes early screening for specialty courts such as drug court.

ODRC promotes TCAP grants as furthering Ohio’s Justice Reform Reinvestment initiative by supporting the continued diversion of low level offenders from prison and reducing Ohio’s prison population and density, while ensuring that more people receive the supervision and essential treatment they need in a more effective and less costly setting than prison.