The Marion County Common Pleas Reentry Docket was established in 2014 to address the high rate of offenders who commit additional criminal offenses and return to prison after completing a period of incarceration in prison or a community based correctional center.  The Program is designed to improve public safety, reduce recidivism, and help participants become productive citizens.

The reentry court is designed to provide close supervision of offenders following release from incarceration, links to social services, and intensive case management.  Eligible offenders who are considered a high risk to commit new criminal offenses, or who have high reentry needs, and who are supervised by the Adult Probation Department, will be placed in the reentry docket immediately upon release from incarceration.  They will have frequent contact with a probation officer to help implement a personal reentry plan.

Participants will also appear before the Judge for status hearings on a regular basis, normally every two weeks initially, and later on a monthly basis.  These status hearings give the participant an opportunity to discuss his or her progress directly with the Judge.  The Judge can immediately provide support and encouragement, as well as sanctions when necessary, depending on the participant’s progress.

The reentry docket is a collaborative effort among the court, the probation department, and the community partners, including treatment providers, employment and housing services, and other governmental agencies.  For each offender, reentry barriers will be identified, along with a strategy to address these barriers.  These include such things as substance abuse history, lack of housing, employment needs, lack of a driver’s license, educational deficits, mental health issues, and lack of positive social support.

Participants may be in the reentry docket for four to 12 months, depending on their progress.  In order to successfully complete the reentry docket, participants will generally demonstrate that they have maintained employment, sobriety, stable housing, compliance with the law, and compliance with their terms of community control sanctions.

The structure of the court is based on evidenced based practices which have been demonstrated to be successful, and is certified by the Specialized Docket Section of the Ohio Supreme Court.