Mission

The Division of Parole and Community Services protects Ohio citizens by ensuring appropriate supervision of adult offenders in community punishments which are effective and hold offenders accountable.

The Division of Parole and Community Services, the community corrections division of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, consists of three primary areas: The Adult Parole Authority, the Bureau of Community Sanctions, and the Office of Victim Services.

The Division of Parole and Community Services works in conjunction with local criminal justice officials and community and state agencies to provide safe, meaningful community sanctions for the adult offender. These non-state prison sanctions emphasize public safety and include opportunities for offenders to change behaviors or situations which brought them into the criminal justice system.

Examples of non-prison sanctions include, but are not limited to, restitution, day reporting, community service, and halfway house placement. Division staff promote public safety by effectively dealing with individuals who violate the conditions of community placement. All non-prison sanctions are developed and operated in accordance with legal mandates and applicable standards.

The Adult Parole Authority (APA) is responsible for the release and supervision of adult felony inmates returning to local communities from prison, as well as assisting Courts of Common Pleas with supervision duties for felony offenders. It is comprised of the Parole Board and Field Services. The APA was created in 1965 and is responsible for the duties addressed in Chapter 5149 of the Ohio Revised Code.

The APA’s mission is to "aid in the reentry of offenders by partnering with community stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to preserve public safety by holding offenders accountable through diverse supervision strategies and technology." The philosophy of supervision statement for the Field Services section of the APA is to "effectively supervise and provide opportunity for offenders to reenter into law abiding citizenship and to reward, encourage, and promote positive behavior, while holding offenders accountable for negative behavior." The APA determines release of inmates from prison to parole or transitional control, sets supervision conditions for inmates released on post release control, coordinates placement of offenders in the community and supervises them upon their release from prison. In addition, the APA assists counties in the development of basic felony supervision services upon request for the Courts of Common Pleas. The APA administers Ohio’s interstate compact agreement for probation and parole coordinating movement of supervised offenders among states.

The APA has staff located in six regions with numerous district and satellite offices throughout the State. The majority of the Division’s staff work in this section, approximately 728 employees. The APA supervises more than 27,000 offenders.

APA History Book