Hot News!
• Tea Party leader gets grilled by NAACP membership
On today's date in The Beacon archives, we published:
•Smitherman still saying the issue is about a “streetcar” (2009)•More on Amy Goodman’s Arrest and the Struggle for a Free Media (2008)
•Journalist Amy Goodman Unlawfully Arrested At RNC (2008)
•Seizing Illegal Guns—Thinking About 2% (2007)
•Information or Advertisements? (2007)
•Nick Lachey: “I have never supported George W. Bush.” (2007)
Contact Us
v mail: (513) 685-0678
e mail: click here
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
County To Pursue Pilot Program to Reduce Incarcerations Due To Driver’s License Infractions
Posted by Media Release
Will Work with Bureau of Motor Vehicles To Ease Reinstatement Process
Part of the Hamilton County Comprehensive Safety Plan (formerly Issue 27) included finding ways to reform the criminal justice system. Despite the defeat of Issue 27, many of the planned reforms will move forward, as Commissioners made clear when they announced their “Roadmap” forward last week.
One reform element announced this week is that Hamilton County will pursue a pilot program with the State of Ohio to reduce the number of citizens who needlessly spend time in jail due to driver’s license violations. A final report due next month will likely show that many County citizens serve time for driving with suspended or no driver’s licenses. While many citizens are appropriately prohibited from having their licenses reinstated, others who are eligible for reinstatement are simply failing to do so. Some of these citizens get arrested again and again on these traffic infractions, taking up police resources, valuable jailspace and costing the taxpayer thousands of dollars to pay for their jail stays.
To help avert this cycle and waste, Hamilton County will work with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles on a pilot program easing the logistics for eligible citizens leaving the Justice Center to have their license reinstated. Using technology, those leaving the Justice Center and who are legally eligible for reinstatement would be able to have their licenses reinstated quickly-and their reinstatement payments made electronically.
County leaders will meet with the B.M.V. in the next few months to finalize details on the pilot program, which they hope to launch early next year.
“This is worth pursuing,” said County Commissioner David Pepper. “A simple logistical change and technological improvement here could free up valuable jailspace for more serious crimes while saving considerable taxpayer dollars.”
• Share This Article! | Listen to this article |
|  |
Register
Anonymous comments are allowed, but you can create an account above to stamp your name and to avoid typing the anti-spam code.
If you are not familiar with our rules for leaving comments, click here! The Cincinnati Beacon is not responsible for the contents of any comments. Comments do not represent the views of the moderators of The Cincinnati Beacon.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
21 Nov 2007 at 11:17 am | #
Could this be part of a better plan we demanded? Is someone finally listening to the people? Call me a sceptic and watch carefully or the “experts” will screw us again.
21 Nov 2007 at 01:49 pm | #
OMG.
I agree with David Pepper.
/faints
21 Nov 2007 at 03:09 pm | #
I totally disagree with this plan.
I really see this as a dumbing down of society.
If you can’t figure out how to get a driver’s license - you shouldn’t be out rolling around on the road in a half ton of steel & glass.
It’s Idiocracy in real life.
21 Nov 2007 at 04:23 pm | #
That’s brilliant, Quim.
Let’s oppose making government as user friendly as possible.
21 Nov 2007 at 04:48 pm | #
Let’s keep it substantive, #4!
Quim, it seems you are being totally sarcastic in your post. Dealing with red-tape is irritating, and time consuming—and not everyone has easy access to time. Why make it difficult?
21 Nov 2007 at 05:41 pm | #
Not being sarcastic at all.
Why not make getting a license easier by not requiring a test in the first place ?
ok, that was sarcastic.
it just shows a contempt for the laws and society by driving without a license.
I am assuming these folks aren’t bothering with insurance as well ?
21 Nov 2007 at 08:57 pm | #
Let’s get it straight Dean - the BOCC isn’t forwarding this - Pepper is and it was part of the comprehensive safety plan via the criminal justice commission.
The Blue Chip Republican agenda (DeWine and COASTers took them over the other night) is working hard to keep 300 low level offenders in Butler Cty lock up while the guys you were against are working to solve the problems.
One side just regurgitates slogans, the other is addressing the issues without making disadvantaged populations pay to keep other disadvantaged persons in jail.
21 Nov 2007 at 10:23 pm | #
anon #7: what do I need to keep straight? This is a media release from David Pepper.
23 Nov 2007 at 02:48 am | #
Dean - when are you going to admit that you’ve been played for a fool by the DeWine / COAST group. You need to get straight with your readers, as well as, the NAACP, MEP, JJ…
Why do you all keep ignoring the fact that DeWine is flip flopping on his :no jail beds until the process issues are fixed - now he is willing to cut programs and services just to keep low level offenders in Butler Couty—- why aren’t you addressing this—- providing him cover, eh?