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1993-02-24
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02/21/1993 COLUMBUS, Ohio (UPI) -- The director of the Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction says he remains
"cautiously optimistic" about the future of Ohio's boot camp prison
despite a dropout rate of over 50 percent.
"I'm still cautiously optimistic about the boot camp," said
Director Reginald Wilkinson. "Operationally, it's working like
clockwork, just the way we intended it to work. The concern is being
able to quantify the success of the program."
Of the first 500 prisonsers sent to Camp Reams, located on the
grounds of the Southeastern Correctional Institution near Lancaster,
268 of them, or 53.6 percent, dropped out or were kicked out.
"I'm not comfortable with the dropout rate," said Wilkinson.
"None of this equates to failure. But we may have built in too many
restrictions within the program."
He said some changes may have to be made, including increasing
the age limit from 25 to 30.
But, in the meantime, Wilkinson said he has delayed plans for
additional boot camps, including one for women prisoners.
"I've not ruled out another boot camp," he said, "but I'd like to
fine-tune this one first."
The aim of the camp was finding alternatives to prison for
first-time offenders 18 to 25 who were convicted of third- or
fourth-degree felonies.
Prisoners at the military-style boot camp go through a
three-month regimen of exercise, work, drills, study and counseling,
along with tough discipline.
After graduating from the boot camp, prisoners spend about two
months in a halfway house and up to a year on parole. The payoff is
a shortened sentence for prisoners who otherwise would spend one to
five years in a regular prison.
State Rep. E.J. Thomas, R-Columbus, who sponsored the legislation
creating the boot camp, agreed that the dropout rate is too high and
said he would introduce legislation to improve the program.
"The dropout numbers surprise me," said Thomas. "I went through
(military) boot camp, and it's hell on Earth. But if you're facing a
sentence of five years, you'd think it would be worth it."
Among the changes proposed by prison officials and to be included
in Thomas' lgislation are increasing the age limit to 30, permitting
"good time" credit for boot camp prisoners and adding educational
incentives to the program.