Child Deaths Prompt Review Of Ohio's Prisoner Release Program

COLUMBUS, OH — Gov. Mike DeWine said he is skeptical of the state's post-release monitoring of prisoners after a man released from prison was accused of stabbing a family member, stealing a police cruiser and crashing it into another car, killing two children. On Monday, DeWine ordered an in-depth examination of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's supervision practices.

“I have serious concerns that some post-release control policies aren’t strong enough to adequately monitor offender reentry and also protect the public,” DeWine said. “It’s time that Ohio takes a good look at improving the post-release control process to help offenders positively transition back into society and to swiftly hold them accountable if they commit a violation of their supervision.”

The Ohio Adult Parole Authority is responsible for supervising more than 20,000 felony inmates who have been released back into society after serving full prison sentences. DeWine's decision to review the authority's policies comes after the August deaths of two girls in Dayton.

Tragedy Prompts Concern

Raymond Walters was released from prison in August and was under supervision of the Parole Authority. He is now accused of stabbing his father multiple times with knives, stealing a police car, crashing the car into another car, killing two 6-year-old girls and injuring others.

Walters had been under supervision for only 16 days when the incident happened, according to an internal report conducted by the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Prior to the August incident, Walters had been incarcerated in Ohio three times on two counts of robbery, one count of possession of drugs and one count of theft. During his most recent stint in prison, Walters was reportedly disciplined multiple times, including once for threatening to harm someone and once for possession of contraband.

On Aug. 10, he was released from prison after serving a 178-day prison sentence, the internal report said. On Aug. 13, Walters missed a meeting with his parole officer. The officer searched for Walters, going to Walters' father's house, and discovered Walters had gone to stay with a different relative.

On Aug. 14, Walters met with a parole officer. But police then received a call saying Walters had been using drugs and had referred to his father as "the devil."

On Aug. 15, Walters was ordered to take a drug test, but didn't show up, the internal report said. That same day, a caller said Walters was threatening to kill himself and his father. The threats reportedly came after Walters' father found a heroin needle in his home, the internal report noted. Walters was not arrested for the incident.

Six days later, Walters told his parole officer he was enrolling at Nova House, a facility offering mental health treatment in the Dayton area. Staff at the Nova House confirmed Walters was signing up.

On Aug. 26, Walters' parole officer received a message saying Walters was using heroin and had become delusional. The caller said there were multiple knives in the vicinity and Walters was becoming paranoid, the report said.

After the call was made, Walters reportedly stabbed his father, stole two cars, crashed them into other vehicles and killed two 6-year-old girls in the crashes, according to the internal report.

After the deaths, DeWine ordered a review of the Parole Authority's policies and practices and the rehabilitation and correction department concluded supervision of Walters had been “appropriate and in accordance with pertinent supervision policies and administrative rules.”

“The sole person responsible for this tragedy is the person who allegedly caused the crash,” DeWine said. “Although the internal review found that the (Parole Authority) officer followed policy in the supervision of Raymond Walters, I have the responsibility to question whether or not the current policies are the right policies, and I’m confident that members of my new working group will make actionable recommendations to improve the post-release control process."

The full internal report into Walters and his supervision can be found online.

Reviewing Policies

A working group formed by the governor will examine the Parole Authority and Department of Rehabilitation's policies and practices in supervising recently released prisoners. Specifically, the group is tasked with examining documentation of post-release control interactions, how much time officers have to sanction an person after a violation, the amount of discretion provided to Parole Authority officers and sanctions for failing to appear for a drug test.

DeWine said he also wants the group to consider how the Parole Authority uses GPS to track former prisoners, how long those individuals are monitored and how the state responds to violations caught on GPS. The group will also look at the Parole Authority's caseload and if changes are needed, the state's risk-assessment tool, "truth in sentencing," and the effectiveness of halfway houses.