Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5120.13 – Holding funds in trust for inmates

(A) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall accept and hold on behalf of the state, if it is for the public interest, any grant, gift, devise, or bequest of money or property made to or for the use or benefit of any institution described in section 5120.05 of the Revised Code. The department shall keep such gift, grant, devise, or bequest as a distinct property or fund, and shall invest the same, if in money, in the manner provided by law. The department may deposit in a proper trust company or savings bank any fund left in trust during a specified life or lives, and shall adopt rules governing the deposit, transfer, withdrawal, or investment of such funds and the income thereof. Upon the expiration of any trust according to its terms, the department shall dispose of the funds or property held thereunder in the manner provided in the instrument creating the trust; except that, if the instrument creating the trust failed to make any terms of disposition, or if no trust was in evidence, then the decedent patient's, pupil's, or inmate's moneys, savings or commercial deposits, dividends or distributions, bonds, or any other interest bearing debt certificate or stamp issued by the United States government shall escheat to the state. All such unclaimed intangible personal property of a former inmate shall be retained by the managing officer in such institution for the period of one year during which time every possible effort shall be made to find that former inmate or that former inmate's legal representative. If, after a period of one year from the time such inmate has left such institution or has died, the managing officer is unable to locate the inmate or the inmate's legal representative, upon proper notice of such fact, the director of rehabilitation and correction shall at that time formulate in writing a method of disposition on the minutes of the department authorizing the managing officer of the institution to convert the same to cash to be paid into the treasury of the state to the credit of the general revenue fund. The department shall include in the annual report a statement of all such funds and property and the terms and conditions relating thereto. Moneys or property deposited with managing officers of institutions by relatives, guardians, conservators, and friends for the special benefit of any inmate shall remain in the hands of such officers for use accordingly. Such funds shall be deposited in a personal deposit fund. Each such managing officer shall keep an itemized book account of the receipt and disposition thereof, which book shall be open at all times to the inspection of the department. The department shall adopt rules governing the deposit, transfer, withdrawal, or investment of such funds and the income thereof.
(B) Whenever an inmate confined in any state institution subject to the jurisdiction of the department dies, escapes, is discharged or paroled from the institution, or is placed on a term of post-release control under any section of the Revised Code and personal funds of the person remain in the hands of the managing officer of the institution and no demand is made upon the managing officer by the owner of the funds or the owner's legally appointed representative, the managing officer shall hold the funds in the personal deposit fund for a period of at least one year during which time the managing officer shall make every effort possible to locate the owner or the owner's legally appointed representative. If, at the end of this period, no demand has been made for the funds, the managing officer shall dispose of the funds as follows:
1. (1) All moneys in a personal deposit fund in excess of ten dollars due for the support of an inmate shall be paid into the state's general revenue fund.
2. (2) All moneys in a personal deposit fund in excess of ten dollars not due for the support of an inmate shall be placed to the credit of the institution's local account designated as "industrial and entertainment" fund.
3. (3) All moneys less than ten dollars to the credit of an inmate shall be placed to the credit of the institution's local account designated as "industrial and entertainment" fund.
(C) Whenever an inmate in any state institution subject to the jurisdiction of the department dies, escapes, is discharged or paroled from the institution or is placed on a term of post-release control, and personal effects of the person remain in the hands of the managing officer of the institution, and no demand is made upon the managing officer by the owner of the property or the owner's legally appointed representative, the managing officer shall hold and dispose of such property as follows: All the miscellaneous personal effects shall be held for a period of at least one year, during which time the managing officer shall make every effort possible to locate the owner or the owner's legal representative. If at the end of this period no demand has been made by the owner of the property or the owner's legal representative, the managing officer shall file with the county recorder of the county of commitment of the owner, all deeds, wills, contract mortgages, or assignments. The balance of the personal effects shall be sold at public auction after being duly advertised, and the funds turned over to the treasurer of state for credit to the general revenue fund. If any of the property is not of a type to be filed with the county recorder and is not salable at public auction, then the managing officer of the institution shall destroy the property.