Sentencing disparities have long been one of the thornier problems in the justice system. The same crime often brings wildly different outcomes for the convicted. It’s not fair that committing a crime in one county may get a year in jail yet committing the same crime in a nearby county might net five to 10 years.
The Ohio Supreme Court continues to back a project that’s worthwhile. You cannot evaluate and reform sentencing procedures without data. Some judges fear the project will cramp their judicial independence. In fact the Supreme Court hasn’t required every court to adopt the database — but they should.
Fairness demands evaluation and comparison of sentencing across jurisdictions. With the database in place, areas with severe sentencing disparities will be obvious. The state has 244 judges and only about 35 are using the database now. The Supreme Court hopes to increase that number to 100 over the next few months.
Now, a database tracking felony sentencing across Ohio is on the way. It’s called the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Data Platform. As reported by The Blade’s Tom Troy, the database can improve public understanding of the sentencing process. Jeffrey Reed, an Allen County judge, thinks that sharing sentencing information with the public is a path both to enlighten the public, and if needed, reform the process. Many citizens might not so often criticize the justice system after they gain more understanding of what considerations entered into the sentences handed down for crimes.
That’s good for not only defendants in criminal cases. The database can also aid judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. It can make sentences for crimes fairer and contribute to the possible rehabilitation of those who’ve taken the wrong path.
A felony sentencing database is not a threat to judges, or their ability to craft sentences to fit the circumstances of a particular crime. What the database can do is help improve fairness and consistency in criminal sentencing. That’s an essential component of justice.
First Published October 9, 2021, 4:00 a.m.
