Ohio’s Rural Counties Send More People to Prison for Drugs than Urban Counties

Ohio’s Rural Counties Send More People to Prison for Drugs than Urban Counties

The likelihood of a person being convicted of a drug related charge has risen in Ohio’s rural communities. Urban cities generally have higher rates of drug related convictions because of the denser populations; denser increase opportunities for criminal activity. Drug users and drug dealers are drawn to large cities as there is a greater market for drugs, which makes it easier for them to buy and sell illegal substances.

While urban counties are expected to see more drug convictions, Ohio’s rural counties have surpassed the urban counties when it comes to the number of persons sent to prison for drug related crimes. A number of factors may be causing this increase, however, one of the highly suggested reasons is the leniency of judges in cities towards lower level drug crimes. Large city judges are faced with cases much more serious than small time drug infractions, such as murder and rape, and as such as less likely to convict one or two time offenders for their crimes. In addition, almost all large cities have overcrowded prisons; fewer convictions on drug charges keep beds and resources free to house criminals deemed more dangerous to the general public.

The attitude of the different counties can also affect the rulings of the judges in the county courts. Smaller counties are often more conservative and strict, therefore, judges ruling on drug related cases may side with the traditional belief that prison is the deserved punishment for such crimes. However, urban counties are sure to be confronted with cases that involve non-violent drug charges on a regular basis, which can normalize the occurrence of such violations and cause the judge to lean towards mandatory drug programs or treatment centers. A large majority of smaller counties do not have facilities capable of rehabilitating offenders and are faced with the decision to either send the offender to prison or release them.

The debate often turns to whether drug offenders should be rehabilitated or put into criminal institutions once convicted of a drug related crime. While countless experts agree that the ideal would be to house them in a facility that would cater to their need for rehabilitation and treatment, the financial resource to set up and/or maintain these facilities is often unavailable – especially in small counties. As such, repeat offenders are often sent to prison for their crimes and generally return to prison once released as they have not been given an opportunity to detox and break their habit.