Lorain Correctional Institution Officer of the Year

Lorain Correctional Institution

Warden

Jennifer Gillece Black

Phone

440-748-1049 (Fax: 440-748-2191)

Email

drc.lorci@odrc.state.oh.us

Address

2075 South Avon-Belden Road Grafton, OH 44044

Volunteers in Prison

Lorain Correctional Institution is committed to recruiting dedicated and resourceful volunteers to assist in reentry efforts by providing services to offenders.  For additional information on these opportunities or the application process, please contact Melissa Spatny at 440-316-4347 or via email.

Prison Rape Elimination Act

The Prison Rape Elimination Act was passed in 2003 to protect individuals from prison rape.  Click here for more information.

Religious Services

Click here to view a complete listing of available programming/services.

Correspondence

Written correspondence to inmates must include the inmate’s name and number on the envelope and be addressed to 2075 South Avon-Belden Road, Grafton, OH 44044. Newly received inmates do not have access to the phones for the first 7 to 8 days following their arrival at LorCI.  After that reception inmates are permitted phone calls 3 times per week, at varying times, in accordance with their unit schedule.

Inmate Funds

For additional information on inmate funds or other deposit options please click here.

LorCI on Social

Stay up to date with the latest news from LorCI on Facebook.

Video Visitation

Lorain Correctional Institution maintains video visiting kiosks in its general population housing unit. The hours of availability for video visits are as follows: 7:15 AM – 10:45AM; 12:15PM – 3:45PM; and 5:15PM – 8:45PM. Visits are 15 minutes in duration. 

Approved visitors may visit www.jpay.com for additional information.

An approved visitor is defined as: A visitor that has submitted an application for visitation and has been approved by institutional staff may request a video visit. Approved visitors must create an account and register with JPay. When family members register to have a video visit, they are prompted by JPay through a series of steps to achieve their visit. Video visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance of the time that they are requesting.

*Please note: All visitors are expected to act as though they are visiting in person. Any violation of ODRC visiting policies/rules will result in a suspension of privileges.

  • As long as applicants are in good standing, applicants can be approved on multiple inmate visitor lists.
  • All minors’ (under age 18) applicants must compete DRC 2096 Visitor Application and it must be signed by parent/guardian.  Incarcerated adults cannot sign as parent. Copy of guardianship / birth certificate required.
  • Incarcerated adults are permitted to have (15) Tentatively Approved / Approved visitors, excluding minors and attorney / clergy.
  • Incarcerated adults are permitted to add and remove visitors at their request. 
  • Incarcerated adults will still keep the one visitor for money purpose only; however, they will have to submit an application to be tentatively approved for visitation.
  • Applicants are permitted to print the visit application packet from the ODRC web page https://drc.ohio.gov/visiting to send in the completed forms along with appropriate proof of  address verification to the address listed below:

Attention: Unit Staff

2075 South Avon Belden Road

Grafton, Ohio 44044

Applications may also be emailed to DRC.LorCI@odrc.state.oh.us

Visiting

IN PERSON VISITING IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

Visiting is limited to a maximum of 4 visitors per inmate at one time, including walking children, unless special arrangements have been made in advance.  All inmates housed in the Restrictive Housing Unit are permitted visitation Tuesday through Friday only.  Inmates housed in restrictive housing will receive a one (1) hour visit per month. 

Visitors may purchase a vending card with a $5 bill to buy food items during the visit as no money is permitted in the visitation room.  Visitors may also purchase tokens from the token machine for pictures during visit.  The cost is $5 for two pictures with a maximum of five pictures and one frame.

Hours

  •  8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (Morning Session)
    12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Afternoon Session)
  • Visitation hours are the same for all inmates, regardless of assigned visiting day.  To determine assigned visiting day, please see the appropriate section below.
  • Visitors must be processed in no later than 9:30 a.m. for morning visiting sessions and 1:00 p.m. for afternoon visiting sessions.
  • We recommend visitors arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of the visiting session to complete registration paperwork and review documentation.
  • Visiting is closed for all inmates on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
  • Visiting hours are subject to change without notice. Please call the institution to verify visiting hours before planning a visit.

  Reception Status Inmates (newly received from the county)

  • Tuesday - Friday (no reservation required)
  • Reception inmates with numbers ending in an even number (0, 2,4,6,8,) may have visitation on even number dates.
  • Reception inmates with numbers ending in odd numbers (1,3,5,7,9) may have visitation on odd number dates.
  • Reception inmates may receive 4 visits per month, no more than 2 per visitor. Each session counts as a separate visit.
  • Visitors of reception inmates are permitted to download and bring the completed visitor application with them on their first visit.  You may obtain the visitor application from our visiting page. 
  • ALL VISITORS must prove relationship to the inmate.

  Cadre and Mentor Inmates only:

  • CADRE/MENTOR VISITORS ONLY are required to make a reservation prior to visiting.
  • Visits are permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, and all holidays except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. There will be no visits scheduled on Mondays regardless of a holiday.
  • All visitors must be approved by Unit Staff prior to visiting.
  • Cadre/Mentor inmates may receive 6 visits each month  Each session counts as a separate visit.
  • Reservations are required at least 24 hours prior to the visit and up to 14 days in advance.
  • Approved visitors should make a reservation by calling 440-748-1049 and pressing "0" Monday through Friday between the hours of 5pm and 9pm.
  • Any cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance, or the visit will be counted as a visit for the month.
  • Visitors may only make a reservation for one session and one offender during a call.
  • Each visitor will receive a confirmation number which he or she will be required to bring the day of the visit.

What inmates and families need to know:

Click here for additional information.

Lorain Correctional Internships

General Internship Requests:                                                                                                                                

An intern for the purpose of this Department is defined as a college or university student participating in a short-term, supervised educational work experience which produces a mutually beneficial work product.

 

Student Eligibility:                                                                                                                       

The student must at least eighteen (18) years of age and currently enrolled in a college or university accredited by the Ohio Board of Regents; outside of Ohio must be accredited by one (1) of the six (6) regional accrediting agencies;  must not be on any form of probation, parole or released from supervision within six months. 

The first step is to submit a letter of approval from their academic or college advisor outlining the purpose, length and number of hours required for the internship.  

Once the approval letter is received, complete an Intern application and release of information to have a background completed.  For general non-clinical internships, the student may print a Volunteer/Intern application on http://www.drc.ohio.gov/volunteers.  Completed applications may be sent to LorCI Internship Coordinator who can disseminate the request to the appropriate person.

Clinical Internship Requests:

The Bureau of Behavioral Health Services (BOBHS) has internships for students pursuing degrees in psychology, social work, and counseling. All requests for internship positions in the BOBHS can be submitted electronically by visiting http://www.drc.ohio.gov/internships. For additional information please contact the BOBHS Training and Education Manager at 614-728-1645.  

The Bureau of Medical Services (BOMS) has such specialized internships for students: physician, physician assistant, nursing as a licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, Bachelor degree, Master of Nursing degree, Doctoral of Nursing degree, medical assistant, phlebotomist, dietitian, and dietary technician. All requests for internship positions in the BOMS shall be made directly to the BOMS Medical Education Manager at 614-752-1707.

Institutional Information

Date Opened 1990
Total Acreage 111
Accreditation Status Yes
Total Staff 416
Population (as of 7/1/19) 1,451

Unique Programs

Bee Keeping

 

Lorain Correctional Institution’s newest program and inmate group is our Bee Keeping Program. In an effort to increase cadre programming with a focus on green initiatives, Lorain adopted a well received Beekeeping Program in November of 2012.  100,000 bees were installed into hives in April 2013 and by the end of the year that number grew to over 1 million bees.  Classes are held once a week for two hours and cover honeybee biology, equipment and hive maintenance, pollination, and queen rearing, as well as entertaining guest speakers from the surrounding beekeeping community. All of the hives were designed and constructed by the inmates in the program. The pollination benefits of having bees at this facility will positively affect the surrounding community within a five mile radius.  A small harvest was experienced (as expected during the first year), however during the coming years we plan to donate honey to the surrounding food banks and local shelters.  An added benefit to this program is the writing and editorial skills inmates gain by creating a monthly newsletter. Beekeeping skills are skills that are marketable in the community.       

Reading Room

The reading rooms encourage family literacy by providing a pleasant and comfortable setting for both child and incarcerated parent. Each room is stocked with a wide variety of children’s books and has an inmate narrator who reads to the visiting children twice a day. The role of the inmate narrator is to read picture books to the children in much the same manner that children’s hour would be done at a public library. A variety of arts and craft supplies for the children are also available in most of the rooms. Many of the supplies and books are donated by employees and service organizations.

Reception Reform and Mentors

 

LAt Lorain Correctional Institution we are changing the way we do reception with a process titled “Reception Reform”. Reception Reform addresses the needs of offenders and concerns of the community. This process allows offenders the opportunity to participate in programming starting when they enter the doors of LorCI. The days of offenders just sitting waiting to be transferred to their parent facilities are gone. They are now participating in programming and have offender mentors who helps to guide them through the process of reception and incarceration. These mentors encourage compliance with institution rules, exhibit pro-social behaviors, assist unit staff with clerical needs and provide unit programs to reception inmates. Mentors live within the reception units and are there to help reception offenders learn how to cope with institutional living as well as answer general questions such as how to use the inmate phone system or how long it will be before they receive a visit from a loved one. Reception Reform has not only provided programming and meaningful activities to reception offenders, it has allowed for other offenders to share their personal experiences. By doing so mentors provide guidance to newly received offenders in hopes of correcting negative behavior. This can ultimately reduce crime in Ohio by beginning the rehabilitation process immediately upon incarceration.

Reentry Programming

Reentry programs are created with evidence based practices and principles. They are based upon the dynamic needs area of each resident that are identified in an assessment that each resident has with their Case Manager and Unit Staff. The following are the reentry programs offered at Lorain Correctional Institution: Thinking for a Change- Thinking for a Change 4.0 (T4C) is an integrated cognitive behavioral change program authored by Jack Bush, Ph.D., Barry Glick, Ph.D., and Juliana Taymans, Ph.D., under a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC). T4C incorporates research from cognitive restructuring theory, social skills development, and the learning and use of problem solving skills.

Cage Your Rage- Cage Your Rage examines what anger is, explains its causes, and offers ways of managing it - a valuable tool for both offenders serving time within an institution and parolees entering the community. 

Inside Out Dads- InsideOut Dad® connects offender fathers to their families, helping to improve behavior while still incarcerated and to break the cycle of recidivism by developing pro-fathering attitudes, knowledge, and skills, along with strategies to prepare fathers for release. Incarcerated fathers get the tools they need to become more involved, responsible, and committed in the lives of their children -- providing increased motivation for them to get out and stay out. 

Victim Awareness- Victim Awareness is a 6-week educational program that examines the impact of various crimes on the offender and victim(s), and discuss the recovery process for the victim(s). It is an opportunity to take personal responsibility for one’s actions.  

Money Smart- Money Smart is an 11-week financial education program created by the FDIC which includes topics such as banking basics and terminology, borrowing basics, savings, consumer protection laws, credit cards and credit reporting agencies and owning your own home.

TOPUCU- The Only Person “U” Cheat is “U”. These members follow the TOPUCU motto to transform their thinking and actions following seven lessons for transformation. These lessons are taught in the TOPUCU program.

Roots of Success- Roots of Success is an Environmental Literacy program designed for youths and adults with limited academic skills and aims to prepare them with successfully accessing good green jobs.

Medina County SPCA - Dog Program

 

LLorain Correctional Institution has teamed up with the Medina County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Inc., which is a non-profit 501(c)3 humane society. The mission of the Medina County SPCA is to protect and care for animals in their community from abuse, cruelty, neglect, injury and abandonment. Dogs are brought into the facility and provided to selected offender handlers who care for, rehabilitate and do basic obedience training with them under the direction of a correlation of our trained staff and Medina SPCA staff. Once the dogs complete training they are made available to the community for adoption through the Medina County SPCA. For more information please visit their webpage at: http://medinacountyspaca.com.

Inmate Groups

 

Supreme Valley Jaycees – The Supreme Valley Jaycee are an affiliate of the Ohio Jaycees. This group gives young people between the ages of 21 and 39 the tools they need to build the bridges of success for themselves in the areas of business development, management skills, individual training, community service, and international connections. The group benefits its membership and the general population with leadership, job skills and apprenticeship training and programming. They donate to various organization throughout the year and promote prosocial activities within the facility and sponsor family events on a regular basis.

Offender Programs

Community Services

  • LorCI/Medina County SPCA Dog Foster Program
  • Fox 8 Stuff the Bus
  • "Lives Matter" Campaign - Cleveland Heights Public Library
  • Freedom and Hope Through Art - St. John's Episcopal Church
  • Berea Guidestone
  • Because I Said I Would - Promise Cards
  • Cleveland Catholic Diocese - Holiday Place-mats and Christmas Cards

Academic

  • Adult Basic Education (ABLE)
  • Pre-GED
  • GED
  • High School Options

Apprenticeship Programs

  • Animal Trainer
  • Baker
  • Carpenter, Maintenance
  • Cook (any industry)
  • Health Care Sanitary Technician
  • Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
  • Janitor
  • Maintenance Repairer, Building
  • Material Handler
  • Plumber
  • Recovery Operator

Education Services

  • Computer Aided Instructional Laboratories (CAIL)
  • Correctional Education Association (CEA) Tutor Training
  • Ohio Reentry Connections
  • Special Education Services
  • Library Services

Institution Videos

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Institutional Location

Institutional Literature

Additional Information

Adopt-a-School – The Adopt-a-School foundation was officially established in 2002 and it strives to address the inequalities and inadequacies in rural and disadvantaged schools, to ensure positive learning experiences which will lead to greater opportunities.  LorCI’s adopt-a-school is Palm Elementary located in Lorain, Ohio.  LorCI staff have provided support to Palm Elementary since before 2008.  Year after year, staff go above and beyond in participating in various fundraisers; donating school supplies, uniforms, hates, gloves and by making monetary donations to assist the school in providing for the less fortunate students in their school district. 

 

Green Initiatives – Below is a list of the green initiatives that are taking place at Lorain Correctional Institution:

  • LorCI has an ongoing recycling initiative in combination with GCI and NeRC that includes plastics, aluminum, metal, paper and pallets. LorCI has an ongoing recycling initiative in combination with GCI and NeRC that include plastics, aluminum, metal, paper, and pallets.
  • Low “E” Thermopane windows
  • Hi-mast lighting has high efficiency LED lighting 
  • High efficiency boilers 
  • High efficiency hot water tanks
  • Gasless push mowers
  • 3 gallon flush toilets with 1.6 gallon flush kits in living areas throughout the institution
  • Push valve timed handles on faucets within offender cells

Additional Academic/Education Services

Computer Aided Instructional Laboratories (CAIL)

This is instructional work in a computer based education program. The teachers in this class advise, instruct and monitor offenders participating in a computerized, programmed focused on educational, social and life skills instruction. The Programs are intended to improve reading, math, social studies, science and writing skills, social and life skills, and prepare offenders for high school diploma equivalency testing. The instructors in this class assess the educational level of offenders, explain computer-access procedures, advise offenders in response to programmed questions and instructions, explain educational materials presented, and provide supplemental material for individual instruction to specific offenders as needed. Motivating and/or encouraging offenders to participate in the program is a significant aspect of the work. Practice GED and GED test are administered in our CAIL Labs.

Correctional Education Association (CEA) Tutor Training

Research shows that participation in education and employment can significantly reduce the risk of re-offending following release from prison. Educational achievement is also important in enabling offenders to fully participate and benefit from other rehabilitative programs.

LORCI is committed to improving the educational outcomes of offenders so they gain the skills needed for everyday life, and are ready for further education and training to develop the skills and experience that employers require.

To achieve this, we offer offenders a range of education, training and support. These includes CEA tutor training which works to identify each offender’s educational needs and goals, and targeting services to address these. Tutors are trained in education needs assessments, learning plans, and access to literacy and numeracy support. Inmates assist the instructional teacher with guiding and monitoring student success. Tutors work with individual and small groups to achieve a greater outcome.

Ohio Reentry Connections

Ohio Benefits Bank - Offenders register for the Ohio Benefits Bank 90 days before their release date. Upon release, they may apply for various benefits including medical assistance, heating assistance, child care benefits, senior help, housing cost assistance, job help, veteran services and many more programs to help navigate successful reentry.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit - The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax incentive program for employers willing hire ex-offenders. We have two computers at Lorain Correctional Institution that are utilized to register offenders for the One Stop Database within 90 days of their release date. Once an offender is registered, he is given a card that must be taken to the One Stop Shop worksite to prove his eligibility to participate in the tax credit program. Also, once released the he may search for job availability at any One Stop Shop with this card.

Special Education Services – These services are available to offenders under the age of 22 that have an identified disability.

Library Services 

The mission of the lending/law library is to reasonably address and assist offenders with their legal issues while incarcerated at Lorain Correctional Institution.

Law library services includes access to all legal materials and online (LexisNexis). In addition, the library contains a generous amount of select print version of the online resources available via LexisNexis.

The library provides notary public services five days a week to the offender population.

Law library legal aides offer extensive appellate assistance to offenders interested in challenging courts decisions affecting their lives.

To continue maintaining our professional responsibility to the population, the library will continue to disseminate legal motions to offenders; provide federal, state, county and municipal regulations; conduct public education and outreach; and increase notary public services, per offender demand.

Tutoring Programs

Tutoring services are available to the offender population by trained tutors and community volunteers. The tutor provides individual tutoring to students to improve academic achievement by meeting with them on a regular basis to clarify learning problems and work on study skills. Other assistance might include: reviewing class material, discussing the text, predicting test questions, formulating ideas for papers, or working on solutions to problems.  

Counseling Services

Offenders are given an opportunity to discuss their college and career aspirations with a guidance counselor. The counselor can help direct and guide offenders about future employment trends, how to complete a free application for federal student aid, interpretation of testing scores, scholarship and financial assistance, transitional skills and many other pro-social skills.

High School Options

Offenders who have enough time to complete the necessary credits to earn their diploma at their parent institution may participate in the option. They may start the program at LORCI but will most likely complete the program at their parent institution depending on how much time remains on their sentence. 

Additional Apprenticeship Programs

Pre-Apprenticeship Program

The Pre-Apprenticeship program is designed to prepare offenders to enter and succeed in Registered Apprenticeship programs. The Pre-Apprenticeship Program helps potential entrants to the apprenticeship system develop their job skills and trade readiness so that they will be prepared to find work as apprentices.

Animal Trainer – In this apprenticeship program offenders learn how to train animals to obey commands, evaluate animal to determine temperament, ability, and aptitude for training. They conduct training programs to develop desired behavior.  Offenders must complete 4000 hours (2 years) in this program.

Baker – In this apprenticeship program offenders mix and bake ingredients according to recipes to produce breads, pastries, and other baked goods. Offenders must complete 6000 hours (3 years) in this program.

Carpenter – In this apprenticeship program offenders construct and repair structural woodwork and equipment in establishment, working from blueprints, drawings, or oral instructions. They build, repair, and install counters, cabinets, benches, partitions, floors, doors, building framework, and trim, using carpenter’s hand tools and power tools. They install glass windows, doors and partitions and replace damaged ceiling tiles, floor tile and wall coverings. Offenders must complete 8000 hours (4 years) in this program.

Cook – In this apprenticeship program offenders prepare and cook family-style meals for crews, residents and employees of institutions. They wash dishes. bake breads and pastries and cook meats. They plan menus, takes advantage of food in season and local availability.  Offenders must complete 4000 hours (2 years) in this program.

Health Care Sanitary Technician – in this apprenticeship program offenders learn sanitization of hospital wards, rooms, mattresses and bed frames, baths, laboratories, offices and halls. They learn how to reduce the risks of exposure to blood and potentially infectious body fluids while patients are present and after their release. They disinfect equipment and patient care areas, control and remove hazardous waste in a safe manner. This program complies with OSHA rules on blood-borne diseases. Offenders must complete 2000 hours (1 year) in this program.

Heating & Air Conditioning Installer-HVAC – In this apprenticeship program offenders learn how to install, service and repair environmental controls systems, utilizing knowledge of refrigeration theory, pipefitting and structural layout. Offenders must complete 6000 hours (3 years) in this program.

Janitor - In this apprenticeship program offenders perform all facets of housekeeping in any designated area such as commercial, industrial or miscellaneous – classrooms, food services, libraries, gymnasiums. They carefully analyze all janitorial tasks to ensure that proper techniques and equipment are utilized. Offenders must complete 2000 hours (1 year) in this program.

Maintenance Repairer, Building -  In this apprenticeship program offenders learn how to repair and maintain physical structures of commercial and industrial establishments using hand tools and power tools. They learn to replace defective electrical switches and other fixtures, paint structures and repair woodwork with carpenter’s tools. Offenders must complete 4000 hours (2 years) in this program.

 

 

Material Coordinator - In this apprenticeship program offenders receive and log all incoming freight shipment; verifies freight invoice and purchase order and reports discrepancies to supervisor; they use loading and unloading equipment to store items in the warehouse as desired; stock shelves; fill orders from stock and note when stock need to be reordered; and rotates stock.  Offenders must complete 4000 hours (2 years) in this program.

Recovery Operator – In this apprenticeship program offenders collect waste and sort recyclable and compostable materials including, paper, metal, plastic, textiles and organics. They promote recycling and are responsible for sorting waste. They manage the composting process for organic materials. Offenders must complete 2000 hours (1 year) in this program.

Painter – In this apprenticeship program offenders apply coats of paint, varnish, stain, enamel or lacquer to decorate and protect interior or exterior surfaces, trimmings and fixtures of buildings and other structures. They smooth surfaces, using sandpaper brushed or steel wool, remove old paint from surfaces, using paint remover, scraper, wire brush or blowtorch to prepare surfaces for painting. Offenders must complete 6000 hours (3 years) in this program.

Plumber - In this apprenticeship program offenders assemble, install and repair pipes, fittings and fixtures of heating, water and drainage systems, according to specifications of plumbing codes. They study build plans and work with drawing to determine work aides required and sequence of installation. Offenders must complete 8000 hours (4 years) in this program.