My Dad Went to Prison Like Teresa Giudice

My Dad Went to Prison Like Teresa Giudice   This article was originally published in Yahoo Parenting and is presented here in its entirety without any edits, except the removal of links to other Yahoo Parenting stories.  The original story is here. Written by:  Christine Coppa January 6, 2015 Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images When […]

100 Reasons for Gratitude

100 Reasons for Gratitude   When my daughters were young our dinner pray was simple:  “Thank-you God for happy hearts, for rain and sunny weather.  Thank-you God for the food we eat and that we are together.”  An attitude of gratitude is an important life skill I wanted to pass on to my children. Without gratitude, coping […]

Is Your Mind Free to Roam?

Is Your Mind Free to Roam?   About twenty years ago I read a book on POW survival stories; one resonates with me still.   It was about a man who painted pictures with his blood and carved scenery by scratching the wood around him with his finger nails.  When rescued he told his amazed liberators, […]

Christmas Cookie Elves

The Christmas cookie elves from St. Ladislas Church were hard at work again this season bringing good cheer to the “clients” at the Judge Mary R. McDonnell Community Based Corrections Facility in Cleveland.   The call for cookies went out and the elves got to work measuring, shaking and pressing love into their work. Their response […]

Prison in Lockdown After Food Protest

Prison in Lockdown After Food Protest   The Northeast Ohio Correctional Center (NOCC) in Youngstown remains in lockdown, twenty-four hours after 140 inmates began a protest over poor food service. The inmates were outside and refused to reenter the facility when the time was over. Youngstown Mayor John McNally believes the prison operator, Corrections Corporation […]

Federal Judge Extends Moratorium on Ohio Executions

Federal Judge Extends Moratorium on Ohio Executions   Federal Judge Gregory Frost’s ruling extends a multi-month moratorium Ohio executions of death row inmates.  His ruling delays executions through January 15, 2015.  The drugs used for lethal injection are being called into question after some high profile executions drew attention to the extended period of agony […]

Mansfield Leads State with Inmate Grievances

Mansfield Leads State with Inmate Grievances   The Correctional Institution Inspection Committee reports of Ohio’s 27 prisons, Mansfield Correctional Institute (MANCI) had the highest number of inmate grievances.   The 637 inmate grievances covered issues ranging from food quality with fewest inmate grievances to health care as the most common grievance. MANCI houses only 4.9 percent […]

Jobs not prison

Jobs not prison   Since 2011, 132 parents who were indicted for criminal nonsupport of their children found a better alternative than going to prison – a job. Thanks to the Success Through Employment Program, operated by the Clermont County Common Pleas Adult Probation Department, these men and women are working and helping to support […]

Prison Donates Water

Prison Donates Water   As reported by the ABC news affiliate “6 On Your Side”: Toledo’s recent water woes are well reported.  As the governor mobilizes the National Guard to truck in water and various relief agencies like the Red Cross spring into action an unlikely agency is also helping out. Over the weekend, the […]

Ohio women prison population exploding

Drug-related crimes in rural counties fuel rise in women prison population As reported on the Brucyrus Telegraph Forum:   8/3/2014 Last month, Ohio set a record for the number of women behind bars, and drugs are to blame, officials said. State prisons director Gary Mohr said he is alarmed by the increasing number of women […]