Columbus Dispatch
Editorial: Begging for mercy
Crime victims asking for voice, accountability from Ohio Parole Board
Wednesday December 12, 2012 

For nearly eight years, Robert Francis has begged the Ohio legislature to pass a bill in remembrance of his murdered daughter. But unless lawmakers vote on this important bill in Thursday’s final session of the 129th Ohio General Assembly, Roberta’s Law will die. 

Senate Bill 160 requires the state to attempt to notify victims of violent crimes, or their relatives, about the possible release of inmates, including those whose crimes predated the 1996 creation of a victim-notification list. This gives the victims adequate notice in case they want to speak before the Ohio Parole Board. 

The parole board doesn’t always have complete or accurate facts. Members hold hearings at prisons, where inmates get a chance to explain their crimes and their rehabilitation. 

But Roberta’s Law — named for Francis’ 15-year-old daughter, who was raped and bludgeoned to death on her way home from school in 1974 — would make it more likely that the parole board hears both sides of the story. 

The bill contains other important safeguards. It requires the board to notify county prosecutors of impending releases, since they have records of the crime and work to protect the public. And it would require quarterly reports to the General Assembly of those granted parole and, upon request, would require the board to provide detailed justifications for their decisions... 

Read the rest of the article at the Columbus Dispatch