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Ohio Governor Outlines Overhaul for County Jail Inspections
< < Back to ohio-governor-outlines-overhaul-for-county-jail-inspectionsCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is more than doubling the size of the state’s jail inspections team.
The change comes following a review that was prompted by discrepancies in reports about a county jail in Cleveland where eight inmates died in 2018.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s 2017 report showed few issues with the Cuyahoga County jail other than overpopulation. But a year later, U.S. marshals found “inhumane” conditions and civil rights abuses.
DeWine said Thursday in announcing the changes that adding more staff will allow inspectors to do more comprehensive reviews of the jails.
The Republican governor wants inspectors to be able to do unannounced inspections. He’s also wants jails to be required to tell inspectors when there’s an inmate death or violence behind bars.