2023 Ohio Revised Code › Title 3 | Counties › Chapter 307 | Board of County Commissioners - Powers › Section 307.932 | Community Alternative Sentencing Centers.

Effective:
April 4, 2023
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section:
(1) "Division of parole and community services" means the division of parole and community services of the department of rehabilitation and correction.
(2) "Eligible offender" means, in relation to a particular community alternative sentencing center or district community alternative sentencing center established and operated under this section, an offender who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a qualifying felony offense or a qualifying misdemeanor offense, for whom no provision of the Revised Code or ordinance of a municipal corporation other than section 4511.19 of the Revised Code, both sections 4510.14 and 4511.19 of the Revised Code, or an ordinance or ordinances of a municipal corporation that provide the penalties for a municipal OVI offense or for both a municipal OVI ordinance and a municipal DUS ordinance of the municipal corporation requires the imposition of a mandatory jail term for that qualifying misdemeanor offense, and who is eligible to be sentenced directly to that center and admitted to it under rules adopted under division (G) of this section by the board of county commissioners, affiliated group of boards of county commissioners, or municipal corporation that established and operates that center. "Eligible offender" also means a person who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a qualifying felony offense.
(3) "Municipal OVI offense" has the same meaning as in section 4511.181 of the Revised Code.
(4) "OVI term of confinement" means a term of confinement imposed for a violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or for a municipal OVI offense, including any mandatory jail term or mandatory term of local incarceration imposed for that violation or offense. "OVI term of confinement" does not include any prison term imposed on an offender for a qualifying felony offense.
(5) "Community residential sanction" means a community residential sanction imposed under section 2929.26 of the Revised Code for a misdemeanor violation of a section of the Revised Code or a term of confinement imposed for a misdemeanor violation of a municipal ordinance that is not a jail term.
(6) "Qualifying misdemeanor offense" means a violation of any section of the Revised Code that is a misdemeanor or a violation of any ordinance of a municipal corporation located in the county that is a misdemeanor.
(7) "Municipal DUS offense" means a violation of a municipal ordinance that is substantially equivalent to section 4510.14 of the Revised Code.
(8) "Qualifying felony offense" means a violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code that is a felony of the fourth degree or a municipal OVI offense that is substantially equivalent to a fourth degree felony violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code.
(B)(1) The board of county commissioners of any county, in consultation with the sheriff of the county, may establish a community alternative sentencing center that, upon implementation by the county or being subcontracted to or operated by a nonprofit organization, shall be used for the confinement of eligible offenders sentenced directly to the center by a court located in any county pursuant to a community residential sanction of not more than ninety days or pursuant to an OVI term of confinement of not more than one hundred twenty days, and for the purpose of closely monitoring those eligible offenders' adjustment to community supervision. A board that establishes a center pursuant to this division shall do so by resolution.
(2) The boards of county commissioners of two or more adjoining or neighboring counties, in consultation with the sheriffs of each of those counties, may affiliate and establish by resolution adopted by each of them a district community alternative sentencing center that, upon implementation by the counties or being subcontracted to or operated by a nonprofit organization, shall be used for the confinement of eligible offenders sentenced directly to the center by a court located in any county pursuant to a community residential sanction of not more than ninety days or pursuant to an OVI term of confinement of not more than one hundred twenty days, and for the purpose of closely monitoring those eligible offenders' adjustment to community supervision. Each board that affiliates with one or more other boards to establish a center pursuant to this division shall do so by resolution.
(3) A municipal corporation may establish a community alternative sentencing center that, upon implementation by the municipal corporation or being subcontracted to or operated by a nonprofit organization, shall be used for the confinement of eligible offenders sentenced directly to the center by a court located in any county pursuant to a community residential sanction of not more than ninety days or pursuant to an OVI term of confinement of not more than one hundred twenty days, and for the purpose of closely monitoring those eligible offenders' adjustment to community supervision. A municipal corporation that establishes a center pursuant to this division shall do so by resolution.
(C) Each resolution establishing a community alternative sentencing center or a district community alternative sentencing center under division (B) of this section shall include provisions for operation of the center and for criteria to define which offenders are eligible to be sentenced directly to the center and admitted to it. At a minimum, the criteria that define which offenders are eligible to be sentenced directly to the center and admitted to it shall provide that an offender is eligible to be sentenced directly to the center and admitted to it if the offender has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to either a qualifying felony offense or a qualifying misdemeanor offense and is sentenced directly to the center for the offense pursuant to a community residential sanction of not more than ninety days or pursuant to an OVI term of confinement of not more than one hundred twenty days by a court that is located in any county.
(D) If a community alternative sentencing center or a district community alternative sentencing center that is established under division (B) of this section contemplates the use of an existing facility, or a part of an existing facility, as the center, nothing in this section limits, restricts, or precludes the use of the facility, the part of the facility, or any other part of the facility for any purpose other than as a community alternative sentencing center or district community alternative sentencing center.
(E) If a board of county commissioners, an affiliated group of boards of county commissioners, or municipal corporation establishes and operates or subcontracts with a nonprofit organization for the operation of a community alternative sentencing center or district community alternative sentencing center under this division, except as otherwise provided in this division, the center is not a minimum security jail under section 341.14, section 753.21, or any other provision of the Revised Code, is not a jail or alternative residential facility as defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code, is not required to satisfy or comply with minimum standards for minimum security jails or other jails that are promulgated under division (A) of section 5120.10 of the Revised Code, is not a local detention facility as defined in section 2929.36 of the Revised Code, and is not a residential unit as defined in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code. The center is a detention facility as defined in sections 2921.01 and 2923.124 of the Revised Code, and an eligible offender confined in the center is under detention as defined in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code. Regarding persons sentenced directly to the center under an OVI term of confinement or under both an OVI term of confinement and confinement for a violation of section 4510.14 of the Revised Code or a municipal DUS offense, the center shall be considered a "jail," "local correctional facility," or "alternative residential facility" for purposes of division (G) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code or of any provision in section 4510.14 or 4511.19 of the Revised Code or in an ordinance of a municipal corporation that requires a mandatory jail term or mandatory term of local incarceration for the violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code, the violation of both sections 4510.14 and 4511.19 of the Revised Code, the municipal OVI offense, or the municipal OVI offense and the municipal DUS offense, and a direct sentence of a person to the center under an OVI term of confinement or under both an OVI term of confinement and confinement for a violation of section 4510.14 of the Revised Code or a municipal DUS offense shall be considered to be a sentence to a "jail," "local correctional facility," or "alternative residential facility" for purposes of any such provision in section 2929.13, 4510.14, or 4511.19 of the Revised Code or in an ordinance of a municipal corporation.
(F)(1) If the board of county commissioners of a county that is being served by a community alternative sentencing center established pursuant to this section determines that it no longer wants to be served by the center, the board may dissolve the center by adopting a resolution evidencing the determination to dissolve the center.
(2) If the boards of county commissioners of all of the counties served by any district community alternative sentencing center established pursuant to this section determine that they no longer want to be served by the center, the boards may dissolve the center by adopting in each county a resolution evidencing the determination to dissolve the center.
(3) If at least one, but not all, of the boards of county commissioners of the counties being served by any district community alternative sentencing center established pursuant to this section determines that it no longer wants to be served by the center, the board may terminate its involvement with the center by adopting a resolution evidencing the determination to terminate its involvement with the center. If at least one, but not all, of the boards of county commissioners of the counties being served by any community alternative sentencing center terminates its involvement with the center in accordance with this division, the other boards of county commissioners of the counties being served by the center may continue to be served by the center.
(4) If a municipal corporation that is being served by a community alternative sentencing center established pursuant to this section determines that it no longer wants to be served by the center, the municipal corporation may dissolve the center by adopting a resolution evidencing the determination to dissolve the center.
(G) Prior to operating a community alternative sentencing center or a district community alternative sentencing center, the board of county commissioners, the affiliated group of boards of county commissioners, or municipal corporation that established the center shall adopt rules for the operation of the center. The rules shall include criteria that define which offenders are eligible to be sentenced directly to the center and admitted to it.
(H) If a board of county commissioners operates or subcontracts with a nonprofit organization for the operation of a community alternative sentencing center, an affiliated group of boards of county commissioners operates or subcontracts with a nonprofit organization for the operation of a district community alternative sentencing center, or a municipal corporation operates or subcontracts with a nonprofit organization for the operation of a community alternative sentencing center under this section, all of the following apply:
(1) With the approval of the operator of the center, a court located within any county may directly sentence eligible offenders to a community alternative sentencing center or district community alternative sentencing center pursuant to a community residential sanction of not more than ninety days or pursuant to an OVI term of confinement, a combination of an OVI term of confinement and confinement for a violation of section 4510.14 of the Revised Code, or confinement for a municipal DUS offense of not more than one hundred twenty days.
(2) Each eligible offender who is sentenced to the center as described in division (H)(1) of this section and admitted to it shall be offered during the eligible offender's confinement at the center educational and vocational services and reentry planning and may be offered any other treatment and rehabilitative services that are available and that the court that sentenced the particular eligible offender to the center and the administrator of the center determine are appropriate based upon the offense for which the eligible offender was sentenced to the community residential sanction and the length of the sanction.
(3) Before accepting an eligible offender sentenced to the center by a court, the board, the affiliated group of boards, or the municipal corporation shall enter into an agreement with a political subdivision that operates that court that addresses the cost and payment of medical treatment or services received by eligible offenders sentenced by that court while they are confined in the center. The agreement may provide for the payment of the costs by the particular eligible offender who receives the treatment or services, as described in division (I) of this section.
(4) If an eligible offender a court sentences to the center is admitted to the center, all of the following apply:
(a) The admission shall be under the terms and conditions established by the court and the administrator of the center, and the court and the administrator of the center shall provide for the confinement of the eligible offender and supervise the eligible offender as provided in divisions (H)(4)(b) to (f) of this section.
(b) The eligible offender shall be confined in the center during any period of time that the eligible offender is not actually working at the eligible offender's approved work release described in division (H)(4)(c) of this section, engaged in community service activities described in division (H)(4)(d) of this section, engaged in authorized vocational training or another authorized educational program, engaged in another program designated by the administrator of the center, or engaged in other activities approved by the court and the administrator of the center.
(c) If the court and the administrator of the center determine that work release is appropriate based upon the offense for which the eligible offender was sentenced to the community residential sanction or OVI term of confinement and the length of the sanction or term, the eligible offender may be offered work release from confinement at the center and be released from confinement while engaged in the work release.
(d) An eligible offender may not participate in community service without the court's approval. If the administrator of the center determines that community service is appropriate and if the eligible offender will be confined for more than ten days at the center, the eligible offender may be required to participate in community service activities approved by the court and by the political subdivision served by the court. Community service activities that may be required under this division may take place in facilities of the political subdivision that operates the court, in the community, or in both such locales. The eligible offender shall be released from confinement while engaged in the community service activities. Community service activities required under this division shall be supervised by the court or an official designated by the board of county commissioners or affiliated group of boards of county commissioners that established and is operating the center. Community service activities required under this division shall not exceed in duration the period for which the eligible offender will be confined at the center under the community residential sanction or the OVI term of confinement.
(e) The confinement of the eligible offender in the center shall be considered for purposes of this division and division (H)(4)(f) of this section as including any period of time described in division (H)(4)(b) of this section when the eligible offender may be outside of the center and shall continue until the expiration of the community residential sanction, the OVI term of confinement, or the combination of the OVI term of confinement and the confinement for the violation of section 4510.14 of the Revised Code or the municipal DUS ordinance that the eligible offender is serving upon admission to the center.
(f) After the admission and until the expiration of the community residential sanction or OVI term of confinement that the eligible offender is serving upon admission to the center, the eligible offender shall be considered for purposes of any provision in Title XXIX of the Revised Code to be serving the community residential sanction or OVI term of confinement.
(5) The administrator of the center, or the administrator's designee, shall post a sign as described in section 2923.1212 of the Revised Code in a conspicuous location at the center.
(I) The board of county commissioners that establishes a community alternative sentencing center under this section, the affiliated group of boards of county commissioners that establishes a district community alternative sentencing center under this section, or the municipal corporation that establishes a community alternative sentencing center under this section, may require an eligible offender who is sentenced directly to the center and admitted to it to pay to the county served by the board, the counties served by the affiliated group of boards, the municipal corporation, or the entity operating the center the reasonable expenses incurred by the county, counties, municipal corporation, or entity, whichever is applicable, in supervising or confining the eligible offender after being sentenced to the center and admitted. Inability to pay those reasonable expenses shall not be grounds for refusing to admit an otherwise eligible offender to the center.
(J)(1) If an eligible offender who is directly sentenced to a community alternative sentencing center or district community alternative sentencing center and admitted to the center successfully completes the service of the community residential sanction in the center, the administrator of the center shall notify the court that imposed the sentence, and the court shall enter into the journal that the eligible offender successfully completed the service of the sanction.
(2) If an eligible offender who is directly sentenced to a community alternative sentencing center or district community alternative sentencing center and admitted to the center violates any rule established under this section by the board of county commissioners or the affiliated group of boards of county commissioners that establishes the center, violates any condition of the community residential sanction, the OVI term of confinement, or the combination of the OVI term of confinement and the confinement for the violation of section 4510.14 of the Revised Code or the municipal OVI ordinance imposed by the sentencing court, or otherwise does not successfully complete the service of the community residential sanction or OVI term of confinement in the center, the administrator of the center shall report the violation or failure to successfully complete the sanction or term directly to the court or to the probation department or probation officer with general control and supervision over the eligible offender. A failure to successfully complete the service of the community residential sanction, the OVI term of confinement, or the combination of the OVI term of confinement and the confinement for the violation of section 4510.14 of the Revised Code or the municipal OVI ordinance in the center shall be considered a violation of a condition of the community residential sanction or the OVI term of confinement. If the administrator reports the violation to the probation department or probation officer, the department or officer shall report the violation to the court. Upon its receipt under this division of a report of a violation or failure to complete the sanction by a person sentenced to the center under a community residential sanction, the court may proceed as specified in division (C)(2) of section 2929.25 of the Revised Code based on the violation or as provided by ordinance of the municipal corporation based on the violation, whichever is applicable. Upon its receipt under this division of a report of a violation or failure to complete the term by a person sentenced to the center under an OVI term of confinement, the court shall determine the place at which the offender is to serve the remainder of the term of confinement. The eligible offender shall receive credit towards completing the eligible offender's sentence for the time spent in the center after admission to it.
Last updated March 8, 2023 at 10:54 AM