Despite Scioto County going back to Level 2 or “Orange” status, the Scioto County Ohio Jail has decided not to accept most inmates.
According to the central dispatch personnel, the jail is only accepting inmates charged with a level F1 or F2 offense. Instead, they have returned to issuing a summons to appear. This process proved less than successful before. You have seen with your own eyes the number of people that were being arrested for failure to appear. Just this morning, a man was discovered passed out behind the wheel on Gallia. Upon investigation, it was determined he had an active warrant for failure to appear. The jail refused him. So, the officer had to take him to sign another summons that he would appear on the charge of failing to appear.
Let’s look at what offenses are not considered an F1 or F2. You can decide for yourself how safe you feel.
We have included links to the Ohio Revised Code for each offense so you can easily see for yourself.
- Arson– Depending on circumstances M1 to a maximum of F3
- Vandalism-F5
- Domestic Violence– M3 to F3 depending on severity and repeat offenders
- Endangering Children– M1 to F3 (This includes: Torture or cruelly abuse the child, physically restrain the child in a cruel manner or for a prolonged period, Repeatedly administer unwarranted disciplinary measures to the child)
- VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER
- POSSESSION OF DRUGS – SCHEDULE I, II
- PAROLE VIOLATION
- DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
- Aggravated Menacing
- POSSESSION OF DRUGS – COCAINE
- ASSAULT– If the victim of the offense is a peace officer or an investigator of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation, a firefighter, or a person performing emergency medical service, while in the performance of their official duties, assault is a felony of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one or more assault or homicide offenses committed against hospital personnel, assault committed in the specified circumstances is a felony of the fifth degree. If the offense is committed in any of the following circumstances, assault is a felony of the fifth degree: The victim of the offense is a school teacher or administrator or a school bus operator, the victim of the offense is an employee of the local correctional facility or a probation department If the victim of the offense is a health care professional of a hospital, a health care worker of a hospital, or a security officer of a hospital
- FAIL TO APPEAR
- Fugitive From Justice-F5
- Theft-grand theft of a motor vehicle, a felony of the fourth degree, If the property stolen is any dangerous drug, a violation of this section is theft of drugs, a felony of the fourth degree, or if the offender previously has been convicted of a felony drug abuse offense, a felony of the third degree, grand theft when the property was stolen is a firearm or dangerous ordnance is a felony of the third degree. theft from a person in a protected class is a felony of the fourth degree
- POSSESSION OF DRUGS
Unfortunately, this is only a partial list. I could spend another hour looking up O.R.C. offenses and easily triple this list.
What can you do?
Call the judges. Call the Prosecutor. Call the Sheriff. They are duly elected officials who are responsible for these things.
The fact is, they were taking in more prisoners while we were in Code Red. The question is, why have they suddenly become more restrictive now that we’ve gone to Code Orange? There is an obvious issue with people failing to appear for the summons they issued the last time they instituted this failed policy.
With the violence and unrest we see in cities all over the county, arson is now something you just get a slip of paper for. People can burn down this city and get the equivalent of a speeding ticket.
My boss said to report without bias and tell the truth without compromise. This is the hard, unbiased truth. The Scioto County Jail has, again, taken the teeth out of the justice system and put the officers as well as the public at more risk.
Do you feel more or less safe?