Online event
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
Click here to view the full report, a four-page executive summary and additional detail about the project.
“Ohio addiction policy inventory and scorecard: Law enforcement and the criminal justice system” is the third in a series of HPIO inventories and scorecards analyzing Ohio’s policy response to the addiction crisis and outlining areas where the state could be more effective. The report provides policymakers and other stakeholders with the information needed to take stock of Ohio’s policy response to addiction within the law enforcement and criminal justice sectors.
The webinar will focus on the key findings:
- Progress toward evidence-informed policies. Ohio is beginning to move in the right direction by embracing evidence-informed policies, such as Crisis Intervention Teams and specialized dockets, that address addiction in law enforcement and criminal justice settings.
- Systemic issues in the criminal justice system. National “tough on crime” policies have resulted in high rates of incarceration for addiction-related offenses. In addition, historically discriminatory criminal justice practices have disproportionately impacted communities of color. More can be done to reduce the number of people with substance use disorder in the criminal justice system, decrease spending on incarceration and improve outcomes for Ohioans struggling with addiction.
- Gaps in data and information. Policymakers do not have the information they need to comprehensively address addiction and inequities in the criminal justice system because of significant gaps in data collection, analysis and evaluation.
Guest speaker, Senator John Eklund, Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee provided updates on policy changes to reform the criminal justice system in Ohio.
