About Us
Mission Statement: Reduce recidivism among those we touch and reduce crime in Ohio.
Core Values:
- Take care of our staff; they will transform our offenders
- One team, one purpose
- Civility towards all
- Hope is job one
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) was established under House Bill 494. Its responsibilities are defined in Ohio Revised Code 5120. All adults convicted of felonies for which the statutory minimum is at least six months come into the state's prison system, which is under the supervision of the ODRC. Convicted felons not sent to prison are instead supervised in the community through probation or other community corrections alternatives. Convicted felons who have served a specific amount of time in prison can be, if eligible, placed back into the community through a system called Parole, a period of supervision prior to full release from the state's correctional system. The Department's Director is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor. The Director has full power and authority in the supervision and control of the Department's affairs and is its chief administrative officer.
Annette Chambers-Smith
Director
Annette M. Chambers-Smith was appointed as Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) in January 2019 by Governor Mike DeWine. Chambers-Smith started with the department in 1993 as a clerical secretary and has since earned 30 years of experience in corrections. During her tenure, Director Chambers-Smith has made a multitude of value-based changes to the Ohio prison and parole systems to achieve the mission and vision of the agency: reduce recidivism among those we touch and reduce crime in Ohio. Director Chambers-Smith has established four core values for ODRC:
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Take care of our staff; they will transform our offenders
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One team, one purpose
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Civility towards all
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Hope is job one
Chambers-Smith has successfully put these core values into motion among the staff and incarcerated population of Ohio. These values have been a catalyst for ground-breaking changes in the department.
Ed Banks
Assistant Director
Ed started his DRC career in 1994 as a correction officer at the Trumbull Correctional Institution, later transferring to Belmont Correctional Institution (BeCI). Working through the ranks, Ed held several positions at BeCI. He served as the warden at Hocking and Noble Correctional Institutions. In 2012, Ed was appointed as the managing director of organizational development. He worked as the deputy director of human resources for both DRC and the Department of Youth Services before being appointed to the regional director position in the Office of Prisons. Ed was named as the assistant director for the agency in December of 2022.
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Facilities and Institutions
Find contact information, visiting hours, available programs, and more for each of our correctional facilities across the State of Ohio.
Ohio Imagination Library
Did you know any child in Ohio between birth and age 5 can receive a free book at their homes each month when enrolled in the Ohio Governor’s Office Imagination Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library?
Reports, Policies, and Procedures
