While the state of Ohio runs two sets of guidelines on sentencing and releasing "Old Law" inmates and "New Law inmates" we are spending $118,683,567.90 per year housing Old Law inmates that could be released not to mention the cost of medical care. When New Law inmates are walking out the door everyday for similar or worse crimes. This money could be diverted to schools, firehouses and saving local police officers jobs. I'm not in favor of releasing repeat offeners or some that are not suitable, but there are Old Law inmates who have no criminal backgrounds and have done everything asked of them to be released, only to be denied for no real reason except "nature of the crime" which will never change. As well as pay the Parole Board $1,000,000.00 in salaries plus benefits.

Want to know who the Elite Membership of eight people in Ohio who have unchecked power to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in hard-earned, rapidly shrinking Ohio tax dollars?

This Big Eight are making decision affecting the lives of thousands of Ohio citizens. Why?

According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, there are 4,798 prisoners incarcerated in our prisons that were senteced prior to July 1, 1996.

It costs an average of $67.77 a day, or $24,736.05 a year to keep someone in prison. Multiply that figure by the number of prisoners sentenced prior to July 1, 1996, and it costs Ohio tax payers $118, 683,567.90 a year to keep these men and women in prison. This does not include the cost of medical for these aging prisoners, nor the cost of maintaining the Ohio Parole Board.

Ohio's prisons currently house offenders sentenced under two facially neutral laws. A comparison of the two laws, "old law" which was in effect prior to July 1, 1996 and "new law" which went into effect on July 1, 1996 are as follows:

Old Law Indefinite Sentence

1st degree felony - 5,6,7,8,9 or 10 years with a maximum sentence of 25 years (example: 10-25 years)

2nd degree felony - 3,4,5,6,7 or 8 years with a maximum sentence of 15 years (example: 8-15 years)

3rd degree felony - 2,3,4 or 5 years with a maximum o 10 years (example: 5 - 10 years)

New Law Definete Sentence

1st degree felony - 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 or 10 years maximum

2nd degree felony - 2,3,4,5,6,7 or 8 years maximum

3rd degree felony - 1,2,3,4 or 5 years maximum

When offenders were sentenced under old law prior to July 1, 1996 there were strong incentives for them to rehabilitate themselves and they could reduce their sentence an eligibility for parole by 30%. If they elected against rehabilitation and self improvement, the maximum sentence is there for the parole board to use. The parole board is charged with the task of evaluating their success at rehabilitation, self improvement and readiness to return to society. The Ohio parole board was altogether abolished for offenders sentenced under the new law when they are serving less than life sentences. More than half of the states in the United Stated of America have effectively done away with parole boards and placed the sentencing power in the hands of the Judge who hears the case and who knows better than anyone else possibly can what sentence is most appropriate. This is exactly what Ohio has done in sentencing new law offenders. When they have served their definite sentence under the new law they are released wlithout any evaluation of self improvement or rehabilitation. No matter what concerns anyone has about their release, dangerousness or likihood to re-offend, they are released without review.

 Please note in the article from the Columbus Dispatch that Cynthia Mausser, chairwomen of the Ohio parole board states concerning the new law; "the biggest change was replacing variable sentences, such as 5 to 10 years, with flat, definite sentences." This statement is far from the truth! The biggest change in this new law was abolishing the parole board for these offenders. Simply put,  their jobs are in jeopardy without old law offenders continued incarceration.

So what was the reaction of the Ohio parole board when the new law effectively abolished them? They are holding old law offenders to their maximum sentence regardless of rehabilitation, self improvement and readiness to return to society. They tell Ohio citizens that they are being held because they are the "worst of the worst". How are the aging and often ailing old law offenders who have been imprisoned 16, 18, 20, 25, 30 or 35 years more dangerous then the offenders who commit the exact crime on or after July 1, 1996? How is the person who commits a crime in 1990, 1993, or 1995 more dangerous than the person who commits the same crime in 1996, 2001,or 2012?

There ae 4,789 old law offenders being held in Ohio's prisons because the parole board needs them to exist! These men and women have litigated tirelessly with the Ohio and Federal Courts for release. But the sum total of the findings by these courts revel that these offenders have no rights. The First and Fifth Amendments to the United States Constitution provide no protection to them, and the parole board has unbridled authority to treat them however it sees fit without out side review.

Beware Ohio tax payers of these elite eight people whom you pay $1,000,000.00 and more to in salaries and benefits - for what? Most of these old law offenders are redeemable with family, friends, homes and jobs waiting for them. Most committed their crimes in their 20's and are now 50 plus years old. We should not except the concept that these are the worst offenders more dangerous then the person sentenced today for the same crimes. I am issuing an invitiation to all people to ask the Governor, Director of Prisons, and Legislators to look at the methods being used to prevent and deny release of these fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters in our prisons. We cannot continue to allow these eight people to hold them hostage for their own purpose! They have served sufficient time for the crimes commited. It should not matter how many state employees would loose their jobs if it were demonstrated that most of these men and women should be released.

Who has the power to act? Who has the duty to act? If these 4,798 remaining old law offenders are people that are not suitable for release, why are tax payers having to pay the salaries of these parole board members? Tax dollars could be and should be diverted from this agency to help our communities. Enough is enough already! Keeping these men and women behind prison walls no longer makes sense! Paying the agency big tax dollars no longer makes sense!

(Please note that the example in the Dispatch article of a serial rapist is not the norm of the old law offenders still incarcerated.)