Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Bureau of Planning and Evaluation

About the Bureau

Ohio is one of only a few states that has begun to systematically address the issue of correctional program accountability, that is, do the various prisons and community programs that the Department offers and supports have an impact on offenders? Responding to the challenge from legislators, government administrators and the general public to spend dollars wisely, the Department made a commitment to address this issue through the creation of the Bureau of Planning and Evaluation. The Bureau provides quality assistance and information to decision makers and policy makers within and outside the Department in the areas of program planning, implementation and evaluation as well as supporting the strategic planning for the Department.

This Bureau develops process accountability information and facilities outcome accountability for new DRC treatment approaches and initiatives. The Bureau also evaluates the effectiveness of departmental programs, both institutional and community based; it also monitors the implementation, processes accountability and effectiveness of new programs and initiatives and conducts research in such areas as recidivism, characteristics of new inmates and long term special research projects.

Evaluations and Studies

• Evaluation of Ohio's Community-Based Correctional Facilities and Halfway House Programs (9/02) - Download Report
  • Conducted for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction by the University of Cincinnati's Criminal Justice Research Center, this study evaluates the long-term effects of Halfway House and Community-Based Correctional Facility programs on recidivism and provides profiles of program clients
• Evaluation of Extended Pre-Service Training for Corrections Officers: Phase 1 (7/95) - Request Copy
  • In 1993, the pre-service curriculum for corrections officers in Ohio was significantly restructured, expanding the required training for corrections officers to seven weeks. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the new Extended Pre-Service Training is more effective than the original three-week training in preparing newly-hired corrections officers to work in a correctional environment.
• Evaluation of the Impact of Correctional Education Programs on Recidivism (10/95) - Download Report
  • This study was designed to evaluate the impact on post-release recidivism of various levels of involvement in correctional education programs (Adult Basic Education, vocational training, General Education Development, and college). Recidivism rates of inmates involved in various correctional education programs were contrasted with those of appropriate "comparison groups."
• Evaluation of the Impact of Participation in Ohio Penal Industries on Recidivism (11/95) - Download Report
  • This study was designed to evaluate the impact on post-release recidivism of participating in an Ohio Penal Industries' (OPI) job. Recidivism rates of inmates involved in an OPI job were contrasted with those of an appropriate "comparison group."
• Formative Evaluation of the IMAGE Program at London Correctional Institution - Download Report
  • This study is a formative evaluation of the IMAGE Program - a residential substance abuse education and literacy program offered at the London Correctional Institution. The report provides a program description and a profile of the programs' first client cohort.
• Exploratory Study of Interstate Compact Policies and Practices - Download Report
  • Reporting on the first two phases of the Interstate Compact study, this paper examines whether Ohio is following guidelines and accepting or rejecting cases and provides a profile of the current caseload of interstate supervisees. The third phase will examine the recidivism of interstate compact parolees and probationers.
• Five Year Recidivism Follow-Up of 1989 Sex Offender Releases (8/96) - Download Report
  • This study examines the five year recidivism rates of all sex offenders released from Ohio prisons in 1989. Baseline recidivism rates for any new crime or technical parole violation, recidivism involving sex offenses only, recidivism of offenders based on a victim typology, and the effects of basic sex offender programming on recidivism are included in this report.
• Ten-Year Recidivism Follow-Up of 1989 Sex Offender Releases (4/01) - Download Report
  • This study examined characteristics of 879 sex offenders as part of a ten-year follow-up study of sex offenders released from Ohio prisons in 1989. Information on the rate of return to Ohio prisons for any new offense including technical violations was collected, with particular interest given to the number of new sex offenses.
• Supervision Outcomes of Interstate Compact Cases - Download Report
  • This report, Phase 3 of the larger Interstate Compact study, looks at the recidivism rates of probationers and parolees supervised under the Interstate Compact. The goal was to track as many Interstate Compact offenders accepted for supervision during a one-year period as possible and to determine their status after three years.
• Older Offenders: The Ohio Initiative - Download Report
  • This report responds to a request to study, assess and make recommendations to address the specific needs of older offenders under the jurisdiction of the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The Older Offender Initiative Work Group was charged with envisioning a situation which would ensure the safety of staff, inmates, and the public while, at the same time, provide for the older offender population appropriate care, custody, and programming.