Difference Between Ohio Prison and Federal Prison
What is the Difference Between Federal Prison and Ohio State Prison?
Federal prisons hold federal inmates or persons convicted of federal criminal offenses. On the other hand, state prisons hold persons convicted of state crimes or state law violations. Federal crimes include crimes that occur across state borders, crimes against government institutions and agencies, and crimes against government officials. The Federal Criminal Code highlights other federal crimes, including white-collar crimes like racketeering, fraud, and money laundering. Federal agencies such as the I.R.S. and the F.B.I. are typically involved in federal crimes. State crimes occur within a state's boundaries and involve state agencies such as the state police. State statutes and criminal codes provide definitions and guidelines for what constitutes a crime in the state and the applicable penalties.
State prisons receive funding from the state government, while federal prisons receive funding from the federal government. State agencies like the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction manage state prisons, while the Federal Bureau of Prisons manages federal prisons. Most violent crimes are state crimes and are prosecuted by state courts. There are more state prisons than federal prisons, and federal inmates typically spend more extended periods incarcerated as federal prisons do not grant parole.
The Ohio Prison System
In Ohio, persons convicted of criminal offenses punishable by longer than six (6) months imprisonment are in the state's prison system, supervised by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC). However, ODRC does not imprison all convicted offenders; some offenders undergo probation, community supervision, or other community correction programs. The ODRC also supervises released inmates on parole. The agency offers programs that help inmates successfully reintegrate into society on release. ODRC oversees the Ohio Parole Board, Adult Parole Authority (A.P.A.) Field Services and policies, and the Bureau of Community Sanctions in its parole supervision function. The Ohio Parole Board conducts hearings for release consideration and recommends inmates to the Governor for clemency.
ODRC employs 12,389 people and holds 45,813 inmates. A.P.A. also supervises up to 27,000 offenders under parole, community supervision, or probation. There are 27 state prisons in Ohio.
How to Lookup Inmates in Ohio
The Offender Search tool on the ODRC website provides information about inmates in ODRC custody or who have been released. Interested parties may search using the following criteria:
- Offender's names
- Commitment county
- Residential county
- Status
- Zipcode
- Offender number
- Parole board hearing date
ODRC allows approved persons to fund inmates' accounts with up to $400 each month online, by mail, phone, or at walk-in kiosks. Interested parties may also correspond with ODRC inmates by phone or mail. Persons interested in visiting ODRC inmates must first apply and understand the agency's visitation policy. ODRC allows video visits; however, approved persons may visit inmates or obtain Ohio inmate record information at any of the following locations:
Allen-Oakwood Correctional
2338 North West Street
Lima, Ohio 45801
Belmont Correctional
68518 Bannock Road St.
Clairsville, Ohio 43950
Chillicothe Correctional
15802 State Route 104
North Chillicothe, OH 45601
Correctional Reception Center
11271 State Route 762
Orient, Ohio 43146
Dayton Correctional
4104 Germantown Street
Dayton, Ohio 45417
Franklin Medical Center
1990 Harmon Ave
Columbus, Ohio 43223
Grafton Correctional
2500 South Avon Belden Road
Grafton, Ohio 44044
Lebanon Correctional
3791 State Route 63
Lebanon, Ohio 45036
London Correctional
1580 State Route 56,
SW London, Ohio 43140
Lorain Correctional
2075 South Avon-Belden Road
Grafton, Ohio 44044
Madison Correctional
1851 State Route 56
London, Ohio 43140
Mansfield Correctional
1150 North Main Street
Mansfield, Ohio 44901
Marion Correctional
940 Marion-Williamsport Road
Marion, Ohio 43302
Noble Correctional
15708 McConnelsville Road
Caldwell, Ohio 43724
Northeast Reintegration Center
2675 East 30th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Ohio Reformatory for Women
1479 Collins Avenue
Marysville, Ohio 43040
Ohio State Penitentiary
878 Coitsville-Hubbard Road
Youngstown, Ohio 44505
Pickaway Correctional
11781 St. Route 762
Orient, Ohio 43146
Richland Correctional
1001 Olivesburg Road
Mansfield, Ohio 44905
Ross Correctional
16149 State Rt. 104
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
Southeastern Correctional Institution
5900 B.I.S. Road
Lancaster, Ohio 43130
Southern Ohio Correctional Facility
1724 St. Rt. 728
Lucasville, Ohio 45699
Toledo Correctional
2001 East Central Avenue
Toledo, Ohio 43608
Trumbull Correctional
5701 Burnett Road
Leavittsburg, Ohio 44430-0901
Warren Correctional
5787 State Route 63
Lebanon, Ohio 45036
North Central Correctional Complex
670 Marion-Williamsport Road
Marion, Ohio 43302
Lake Erie Correctional
501 Thompson Road
Conneaut, Ohio 44030
Northeast Ohio Correctional Center
2240 Hubbard Road
Youngstown Ohio 44505
Ohio County Jails
Ohio county jails hold persons sentenced to no more than 180 days in jail. Typically, these are people convicted of misdemeanors. County jails also serve as detention centers for persons awaiting trial or sentencing. Because county jails hold fewer people for shorter periods, county jails are typically small in size. County Sheriff's offices, local police divisions, and other local government agencies oversee county jails.
Persons interested in visiting Ohio county jail inmates must apply.
Each county has visiting hours and visitation policies; interested parties may visit the county website for visiting information. County jails also provide correspondence with inmates by mail and telephone; correspondence guidelines may vary from one county to the other, so interested parties must obtain up-to-date information from each county jail. Some county jails also have online inmate rosters and lookup tools where interested persons may search inmate location and incarceration records.
In counties where visitation, correspondence, banking, and inmate records are not available online, interested parties may contact the County Sheriff or jail supervisor or the county jail facility that holds an inmate for information.
How Does the Federal Prison System Work?
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (B.O.P.) oversees the 112 federal prisons in the United States. Federal prisons hold persons convicted of federal crimes. Federal prisons also hold persons awaiting trial for federal crimes and the District of Columbia's felony offenders. In total, there are about 152,000 inmates in B.O.P. custody, and the agency employs more than 37,000 people.
The B.O.P. offers different programs geared towards helping inmates reintegrate into society. The programs are evidence and needs-based and include mental health programs, education programs, reentry programs, work programs, medical care, religious programs, substance abuse treatment programs, UNICOR, and sexual abuse prevention programs. Currently, the B.O.P.'s recidivism rate is 34%.
Federal inmates may receive visits and correspondence from friends, family, and other interested community members. Interested parties may communicate with federal inmates through phone calls, mail, and email. Parties may also send packages and money to inmates. Federal inmates may only receive packages with the unit team's approval.
Interested parties may search inmate location and incarceration information using the Inmate Locator tool on the B.O.P. website. It provides information about incarcerated persons from 1982 to date. The B.O.P. makes this information available publicly in the interest of public safety. Users and requesting parties may search the tool using the following criteria:
- Inmate's name
- Age
- Gender
- Race
- I.N.S. number
- DCDC number
- F.B.I. number
- B.O.P. register number
