After President Joe Biden declared April “Second Chance Awareness Month” for felons, Ohio’s Gov. Mike DeWine (R) bragged Thursday about his initiative to expedite the pardon process for convicted felons.
“April is Second Chance Awareness Month in Ohio. I believe that those who’ve lived upstanding post-conviction lives deserve a second chance for better opportunities, which is why I created the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project,” DeWine said on Twitter.
April is Second Chance Awareness Month in Ohio. I believe that those who've lived upstanding post-conviction lives deserve a second chance for better opportunities, which is why I created the Ohio Governor's Expedited Pardon Project.
For info: https://t.co/iwkbmwhYFX pic.twitter.com/oKOxQhJkez
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) April 7, 2022
When The Ohio Star investigated the origins of “Second Chance Awareness Month,” the only reference it found was from a March 31 decree from the White House.
That decree said the following:
April marks Second Chance Month, when we reaffirm the importance of helping people who were formerly incarcerated reenter society. America is a Nation of second chances, and it is critical that our criminal and juvenile justice systems provide meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation and redemption. It is also vital that we address both the root causes of crime and the underlying needs of returning citizens using resources devoted to prevention, diversion, reentry, trauma-informed care, culturally-specific services, and social support. By supporting people who are committed to rectifying their mistakes, redefining themselves, and making meaningful contributions to society, we help reduce recidivism and build safer communities.
It went on to claim, in effect, that the justice system in the United States is racist, saying that it “must rethink … how the racial inequities that lead to disproportionate numbers of incarcerated people of color and other underserved groups.”
DeWine says his Expedited Pardon Project began in December of 2019.
“A felony conviction can lead to a lifetime of consequences, but Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Expedited Pardon Project gives citizens living upstanding post-conviction lives a second chance for better opportunities,” according to a website touting the project.
Some of those opportunities include holding public office, possessing firearms, and “ability to volunteer in certain settings such as a younger family member’s sports team,” as well as employment opportunities that would normally exclude felons.
There is an application process for an expedited pardon.
That application process is handled by Ohio State University’s Moritz School of Law.
The application requires felons to reveal all their state and federal convictions, the facts of their cases, their work histories, any community service, and any other information requested.
Applications are then processed, and the candidate for an expedited pardon is made aware of the decision.
Conspicuously missing from any of the public material relating to the Expedited Pardon Project are criteria by which it is decided whether a felon’s record is erased.
The Star reached out to DeWine’s office for comment, but did not hear back.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Governor Mike DeWine” by Governor Mike DeWine.
