Lebanon most violent prison in Ohio, study finds

Area prison is going against the trend as violence in Ohio prisons statewide has decreased nearly 12 percent since 2012.

Violence in Ohio prisons declined by nearly 12 percent from its peak in 2011 but Lebanon Correctional Institution in Warren County had the highest number of violent incidents — 2,595 over a three year period, according to a new report.

The Correctional Institution Inspection Committee reported Tuesday that a new system put in place by Ohio Department of Rehabiliation and Correction Director Gary Mohr appears to be working.

In 2012, Mohr implemented a “three tier” system that rewards good behavior and punishes rule breakers. Those who engage in violence go to the most controlled prisons; those who exhibit good behavior go to general population and can earn more privileges; and inmates who show consistent, pro-social behavior and commitment to rehabilitation get access to more programs and services.

In 2011, DRC had a violent rule infraction rate of 230.2 per 1,000 inmates. But the rate steadily declined to 203.1 per 1,000 in 2014.

The highest violence rates are at Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, Lebanon Correctional Institution in Warren County and Richland Correctional while the most violent women’s prison is Dayton Correctional Institution, the report found.

Lebanon Correctional had the highest total number of violent rule infractions.

When it comes to disturbances involving four or more inmates, Ross Correctional Institution led the state in 2014 with 22. There were five disturbances at Lebanon, 14 at Warren and none reported at Dayton Correctional, according to the CIIC report.

All told, between 2012 and 2014, there were 31,231 violent incidents reported in the state prisons.

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