State Representative Lynn Slaby (R-Akron) recently was appointed by Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) to serve on two state councils that further Ohio’s public safety efforts and oversee appropriations for juvenile corrections programs.

Slaby will serve on the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS), which is a commission under the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. It maximizes public safety by facilitating the transfer of supervision services for offenders who are approved to reside and work in a territory other than where they were convicted.

Currently, parole boards, courts and probation agencies are not able to handle the planning for and supervision of parolees and probationers when they live outside the courts’ political boundaries. ICAOS permits eligible individuals to transfer to another state under the ICAOS system, while also enforcing policies to ensure compliance with federal and state law for the transfer of supervision across state lines.

“It is important that parolees have the ability to return to their homes or family support systems, and the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision will allow that to happen by providing the necessary oversights and public protections,” said Slaby.

Additionally, Slaby will serve on the RECLAIM (Reasoned and Equitable Community and Local Alternatives to the Incarceration of Minors) Advisory Committee, which allocates operational funds for county juvenile programs, institutional care and custody, community corrections facilities care and custody, and other related costs.

A component of the Department of Youth Services (DYS), the RECLAIM Ohio Initiative arose in response to a growing need for local alternatives for juvenile courts and overcrowding in DYS institutions. The program encourages juvenile courts to develop community-based options to meet the needs of young offenders, which has allowed the juveniles’ families to participate in their treatment and has reduced crowding in state institutions.

“The goal of RECLAIM Ohio is a noble one because family plays a very important role in the rehabilitation of young offenders,” Slaby said. “I am pleased to serve on both of these councils during the 129th General Assembly.”