Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC or ODRC) is the administrative department for the state of Ohio responsible for oversight of its adult prison system, along with its inmate population.Ohio Rev. Code § 121.01 et seq. It was established in 1972 under House Bill 494 of the 109th General Assembly of the Ohio House of Representatives. The responsibilities of ODRC are established in Section 5120 of the Ohio Revised Code and only hosts inmates with felonies and have a sentence of six months or more. Ohio's prison system is the sixth-largest in America, with 27 adult prisons and three facilities for juveniles (managed by the Ohio Department of Youth Services). Inmates are classified with a security level of 1 through 4, including a special classification level of "E", with level 1 being the lowest and least restrictive, while level "E" is the highest, with the most restrictive security control measures in place. There is also a security level between E and Level 4 where an inmate is classified as ET as a transitional program to downgrade their security level. In December 2025, the number of inmates in Ohio totaled 45,833, with a total budget for Fiscal Year 2026 of $2,545,285,316.“MONTHLY FACT SHEET DECEMBER 2025.” Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, 2 Apr. 2026 https://drc.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/504c371c-7a2a-4455-8e0d-33cd5f753af6/December+2025+Fact+Sheet+%281%29.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_K9I401S01H7F40QBNJU3SO1F56-504c371c-7a2a-4455-8e0d-33cd5f753af6-pRem5pX ODRC headquarters are located in Columbus."Contact." Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Retrieved on December 7, 2009. 440-316-4319

History The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction was established in 1972 under House Bill 494 of the 109th General Assembly of the Ohio House of Representatives. The responsibilities of ODRC are established in Section 5120 of the Ohio Revised Code and only hosts inmates with felonies and have a sentence of six months or more.

On April 11, 1993, a major riot broke out at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility that lasted eleven days and resulted in ten deaths. It involved over 400 inmates and three different security threat groups. Nine inmates and one corrections officer were killed. Five inmates were deemed the "Lucasville Five" after prosecutors deemed them as ringleaders and all five were sentenced to death.

In 2019, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reported that the department's inspection office had a single full-time employee, and used interns to conduct inspections.

In 2025, a PREA report reported that in 2024, there were 184 total inmate-on-inmate nonconsensual sexual acts allegations of which 11 were substantiated, 138 inmate-on-inmate abusive sexual contact allegations with 13 being substantiated, 60 inmate-on-inmate sexual harassment allegations and 11 were substantiated, 58 staff-on-inmate sexual misconduct allegations with 11 substantiated allegations, and 16 staff-on-inmate sexual harassment allegations with 2 being substantiated. Of the 45,281 inmates at the time of reporting, 1% had reported a PREA allegation.Kollar, David. “2025 Annual Internal Report on Sexual Assault Data: A Review of 2023-2024 Sexual Assault Data.” Bureau of Operational Compliance, 26 Dec. 2025 https://drc.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/9d67af47-e986-4ac4-9e10-cde0261a455d/2025+Annual+Internal+Report+on+Sexual+Assault+Data.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_K9I401S01H7F40QBNJU3SO1F56-9d67af47-e986-4ac4-9e10-cde0261a455d-pO.fb2X

In 2025, the reported three-year recidivism rate was 17.9%, down from the peak of 30.4% in 2009. 25.4% of all inmates admitted to ODRC without a high school degree obtain a degree before they're released. 16,104 inmates were enrolled in a Substance Use Disorder Treatment program. Of these, 67% completed the program.“2025 Report on the Determinants of Post-Release Success.” Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, 13 Mar. 2026 https://drc.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/0cbde672-f670-435e-b910-66e4bbeec62b/Final+-+Determinants+of+Post-Release+Success+2025+3.13.2026.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_JQGCH4S04P41206HNUKVF31000-0cbde672-f670-435e-b910-66e4bbeec62b-pQ6vvc7

In April 2026, it was reported that there were 11,627 total staff including, but not limited to 6,113 correction officers, 1,160 health care staff, 597 nursing staff, 650 non-nursing staff, 882 parole & community service staff, and 593 Operation Support Center staff. The Southern Ohio Correctional Facility hosted the most staff at 611 total staff.“STAFFING REPORT APRIL 2026.” Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, 26 Mar. 2026 https://drc.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/c717bf6a-3293-4af2-ac4e-2dff33bbe96a/April+2026.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_79GCH8013HMOA06A2E16IV2082-c717bf6a-3293-4af2-ac4e-2dff33bbe96a-pQGSLdQ

Statistics As of December 2025:

45,833 Total Inmates. 42,105 males, 3,728 females. 12 pregnant females. 813 inmates serving life without parole. The average inmate was 41.3 years old. 41.5 years for males, 39.4 years for females. There are 26 inmates under 18 years old in ODRC custody. 25 males & 1 female. 94.5% Security Level 3 or lower. 5.5% Level 4 or higher including death row. The average stay was 2.61 years.

Facilities +FacilityCodeLocationNotesAllen-Oakwood Correctional InstitutionAOCILimaBelmont Correctional InstitutionBECISt. ClairsvilleChillicothe Correctional InstitutionCCIChillicotheCorrectional Reception CenterCRCOrientReception for most male inmatesDayton Correctional InstitutionDCIDaytonFemale prisonFranklin Medical CenterFMCColumbusCapacity: 272Ohio Attorney General. “REPORT on the INSPECTION of FRANKLIN MEDICAL CENTER.” Ohio Attorney General, 31 Oct. 2025 https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Reports/CFIS-Annual-Reports/2025-Reports/2025-Franklin-Medical-Center Houses male and female inmates Houses three death row inmatesGrafton Correctional InstitutionGCIGraftonLake Erie Correctional InstitutionLAECIConneautOperated by CoreCivicLebanon Correctional InstitutionLeCILebanonLondon Correctional InstitutionLoCILondonLorain Correctional InstitutionLorCIGraftonReception for male inmates from Stark, Summit, and Cuyahoga CountiesMadison Correctional InstitutionMaCILondonMansfield Correctional InstitutionManCIMansfieldMarion Correctional InstitutionMCIMarionNoble Correctional InstitutionNCICaldwellNorth Central Correctional ComplexNCCCMarionOperated by Management and Training CorporationNortheast Ohio Correctional CenterNEOCCYoungstownOperated by CoreCivicNortheast Reintegration CenterNERCClevelandFemale prisonOhio Reformatory for WomenORWMarysvilleFemale prison Reception for all female inmates Houses death row for female inmatesOhio State PenitentiaryOSPYoungstownHouses some death row inmatesPickaway Correctional InstitutionPCIOrientRichland Correctional InstitutionRICIMansfieldRoss Correctional InstitutionRCIChillicotheMajority of death row inmates housed hereSoutheastern Correctional InstitutionSCILancasterSouthern Ohio Correctional FacilitySOCFLucasvilleDeath house locationToledo Correctional InstitutionToCIToledoTrumbull Correctional InstitutionTCILeavittsburgWarren Correctional InstitutionWCILebanonOne death row inmate

Juvenile Facilities

The Following Juvenile Correctional Facilities are operated by the Ohio Department of Youth Services.

Circleville Cuyahoga Hills Indian River

Closed

Hocking Correctional Facility (Closed 2018) Lima Correctional Institution (Closed 2004) Montgomery Education and Pre-Release Center (Closed 2004) North Coast Correctional Treatment Facility (merged with Grafton in 2011) Ohio Penitentiary (Closed 1984) Ohio State Reformatory (Closed 1990) Orient Correctional Institution (Closed 2002)

Death row The majority of male death row inmates are held at the Ross Correctional Institution, while others are held at Franklin Medical Center, Ohio State Penitentiary, and Warren Correctional Institution. Some that are considered a high security risk are held at the Ohio State Penitentiary and those with serious medical conditions are held at the Franklin Medical Center. The main men's death row was previously held at the Chillicothe Correctional Institution from 2011 until 2024. Female death row inmates are housed in the Ohio Reformatory for Women.

The main men's death row had been scheduled to move from Chillicothe Correctional Institution to Toledo Correctional Institution in the summer of 2017, however those plans were delayed and ultimately cancelled in 2018. Executions occur at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility."Ohio Death Row Inmates." Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Retrieved on December 19, 2016.http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20120127/NEWS01/201270308/CCI-death-row-receives-final-inmates?odyssey=mod|newswell|text||s

Fallen Staff

Since the establishment of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, 26 staff members have died in the line of duty.The Officer Down Memorial Page They're listed with their title, name, facility, and end-of-watch date below:

Guard Cyrus Sells - Ohio State Penitentiary - June 9, 1841 Guard James Fancher - Ohio Penitentiary - July 14, 1849 Guard Daniel Heavey - Ohio Penitentiary - January 19, 1865 Guard Charles B. Lauderbaugh - Ohio Penitentiary - November 18, 1898 Guard Henry J. Gearhart - Ohio Penitentiary - May 29, 1904 Guard William H. Morehead - Ohio Penitentiary - December 23, 1905 Guard Urban Wilford - Ohio State Reformatory - November 3, 1926 Guard Grant Weakley - Junction City Prison - September 2, 1927 Guard Frank B. Hanger - Ohio State Reformatory - October 6, 1932 Guard Alfred E. Schmidt - Ohio State Reformatory - September 2, 1940 Guard Walter W. Zimmer - Ohio State Penitentiary - April 19, 1948 Guard Samuel P. Chesshir - Ohio State Penitentiary - April 22, 1948 Correctional Officer Arthur Sprouse - Southern Ohio Correctional Facility - July 24, 1973 Correctional Officer Gary P. Underwood - Southern Ohio Correctional Facility - July 24, 1973 Parole Officer Robert A. White - Adult Parole Authority Cleveland - April 27, 1979 Supervisor Eric Bowling - Southern Ohio Correctional Facility - February 2, 1984 Teacher Beverly Jo Taylor - Southern Ohio Correctional Facility - June 7, 1990 Correction Officer Thomas D. Davis, Jr - Mansfield Correctional Institution - June 26, 1992 Correction Officer Robert B. Vallandingham - Southern Ohio Correctional Facility - April 14, 1993 Correction Officer Dannis Lee Stemen - Allen Correctional Institution - July 5, 1994 Correctional Case Manager Bonita Haynes - Lima Correctional Institution - August 6, 1996 Correction Officer Shirlene A. Jenkins - Allen Correctional Institution - February 11, 1997 Correction Officer Wayne Mitchell - Warren Correctional Institution - February 2, 2001 Correction Officer Michael Wilson Douds - Madison Correctional Institution - April 5, 2003 Lieutenant Rodney Osborne - Southern Ohio Correctional Facility - April 9, 2024 Correction Officer Andrew Lansing - Ross Correctional Institution - December 25, 2024

See also

List of law enforcement agencies in Ohio List of United States state correction agencies List of U.S. state prisons

References

External links Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction website Death row information Execution schedule Execution history