FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUNE 27, 2018

CONTACT: Naty Uhlmann, 520.599.3494, naty@safeandjust.org

OH House Passes Legislation to Stop the Cycle of Crime Alliance for Safety and Justice Praises Passage of SB 66

The Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ), one of the nation's leading criminal justice reform organizations praised the passing of SB 66 in the Ohio House of Representatives. Passing SB 66 was one of ASJ's top priorities for the year. The bill must now go back to the Senate for final passage.

“The legislation will make Ohio safer and aligns with the desire of the public and crime survivors,” said Shakyra Diaz, Managing Director, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. “The bill focuses on ending the cycle of crime and importantly makes clear that rehabilitation is a key goal of Ohio's criminal justice system.”

Making rehabilitation a key component of the criminal justice system aligns with the desires of crime victims. The Alliance for Safety and Justice conducted the nation's first survey of victim's views in the country. Crime survivors indicated that they prefer the criminal justice system focus more on rehabilitation than punishment by a margin of 2 to 1. By a margin of 3 to 1 crime victims shared the belief that time in prison make people more likely to commit another crime rather than less likely.

SB 66 takes important steps to focus on rehabilitation including enhancing judicial discretion, increasing diversion opportunities and expanding community-based alternative supervision in lieu of incarceration. These approaches have been proven to help stop the cycle of crime through rehabilitation, graduated sanctions and incarceration when appropriate.

“SB 66 results in a balanced approach to public safety,” added Diaz. “This approach allows law enforcement and incarceration resources to be focused on serious crime, while more resources go to prevention and rehabilitation, making Ohio communities safer.”

Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice is a flagship project of the Alliance for Safety and Justice, a national organization that aims to win new safety priorities in states across the country. We partner with state leaders, advocates and crime survivors to advance policies to replace prison waste with new safety priorities that will help the communities most harmed by crime and violence. For more information visit https://www.allianceforsafetyandjustice.org/ or follow us on twitter @SafeandJustUSA