Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Senate Bill 160 - Roberta's Law
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Senate Bill 160, known as “Roberta’s Law”, will become effective on March 22, 2013. Roberta’s Law expands victim notification rights enumerated in Ohio Revised Code section 2930.16 as they relate to certain inmate release or transfer proceedings. If the inmate is convicted of Aggravated Murder, Murder, a first, second or third degree offense of violence or is serving a life sentence, the victim will be automatically notified of specified events, regardless of whether the victim has requested notification. ODRC encourages all victims affected by Roberta’s Law to contact the Office of Victim Services at the numbers listed below, to either provide information regarding the preferred method of notification, or to opt-out of notification. Information regarding the victim’s ability to participate in applicable proceedings will be included within the notice as required. The proceedings affected by Roberta’s Law as they relate to inmates confined within the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) includes:
- Judicial Release: automatic notification by Prosecuting Attorney of Judicial Release hearing.
- DRC initiated Judicial Release pursuant to HB 160: automatic notification by ODRC upon the Director’s filing of the release request and of any hearing.
- Recommendations of pardon or commutation: automatic notification by the Adult Parole Authority 60 days prior to making the recommendation.
- Parole hearings: automatic notification by the Adult Parole Authority 60 days prior to a parole hearing.
- Transfers to Transitional Control: automatic notification by the Adult Parole Authority 60 days prior to transfer of an inmate to a transitional control program.
- Release onto Post Release Control: automatic notification by the Adult Parole Authority at least 30 days prior to release onto Post Release Control.
Roberta’s Law also provides an opt-out mechanism for those
victims who do not wish to be automatically notified (see
attached form).
Adult Parole Authority staff is currently searching for
victims, who have not previously requested notification
through the Office of Victim Services, in order to locate
these victims and provide the notifications required by
Roberta’s Law when it becomes effective on March 22, 2013.
Contact with unregistered victims will be made by regular
mail, telephone or email.
ODRC encourages all victims affected by Roberta’s Law to contact the Office of Victim Services by phone or email to either provide information regarding the preferred method of notification through registration, or to opt-out of notification.