Franklin County Report Overview
Like counties across the country, Franklin County has adopted overly aggressive policing and prosecution strategies that are entangling far too many Black and Latino men and women in the criminal justice system, while doing little to make the community safer. The city and county are failing to follow best practices for reducing incarceration, improving police community relationships and preventing violence.
POLICING & PROSECUTION
This LIVE FREE County Best Practices Scorecard provides a snapshot of the policies and practices that are decimating Franklin’s communities of color through irresponsible prosecution of young Black and Latino men and women, setting bail that average community members cannot afford, private prison profiteering and refusing to hold law enforcement officers accountable for police misconduct and murder. The truth is that there’s a Ferguson in Franklin County, Ohio. Download the complete scorecard to see the results.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Franklin County District Attorney Ron O’Brien, Sheriff Zach Scott, and the Columbus Police Chief Kimberley Jacobs are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of all people in the county. But they have pursued policies that cycle large number of Black and Latino men and women through the criminal justice system and effectively criminalize whole communities. Download a complete summary of Franklin’s failing policies.
POLICY SOLUTIONS
This report is a call for leadership. Elected law enforcement officials, here in Franklin County, and across the United States, must choose whether to provide leadership to end mass incarceration and criminalization, or step aside, and let others lead. Download the Franklin County policy guide of best practices.
