Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5139.51 – Supervised release or discharge

(A) The release authority of the department of youth services shall not release a child who is in the custody of the department of youth services from institutional care or institutional care in a secure facility and shall not discharge the child or order the child's release on supervised release prior to the expiration of the prescribed minimum period of institutionalization or institutionalization in a secure facility or prior to the child's attainment of twenty-one years of age, whichever is applicable under the order of commitment, other than as is provided in section 2152.22 of the Revised Code. The release authority may conduct periodic reviews of the case of each child who is in the custody of the department and who is eligible for supervised release or discharge after completing the minimum period of time or period of time in an institution prescribed by the committing court. At least thirty days prior to conducting a periodic review of the case of a child who was committed to the department regarding the possibility of supervised release or discharge and at least thirty days prior to conducting a release review, a release hearing, or a discharge review under division (E) of this section, the release authority shall give notice of the review or hearing to the court that committed the child, to the prosecuting attorney in the case, and to the victim of the delinquent act for which the child was committed or the victim's representative. If a child is on supervised release and has had the child's parole revoked, and if, upon release, there is insufficient time to provide the notices otherwise required by this division, the release authority, at least ten days prior to the child's release, shall provide reasonable notice of the child's release to the court that committed the child, to the prosecuting attorney in the case, and to the victim of the delinquent act for which the child was committed or the victim's representative. The court or prosecuting attorney may submit to the release authority written comments regarding, or written objections to, the supervised release or discharge of that child. Additionally, if the child was committed for an act that is a category one or category two offense, the court or prosecuting attorney orally may communicate to a representative of the release authority comments regarding, or objections to, the supervised release or discharge of the child or, if a hearing is held regarding the possible release or discharge of the child, may communicate those comments at the hearing. In conducting the review of the child's case regarding the possibility of supervised release or discharge, the release authority shall consider any comments and objections so submitted or communicated by the court or prosecutor and any statements or comments submitted or communicated under section 5139.56 of the Revised Code by a victim of an act for which the child was committed to the legal custody of the department or by the victim's representative of a victim of an act of that type. The release authority shall determine the date on which a child may be placed on supervised release or discharged. If the release authority believes that a child should be placed on supervised release, it shall comply with division (B) of this section. If the release authority believes that a child should be discharged, it shall comply with division (C) or (E) of this section. If the release authority denies the supervised release or discharge of a child, it shall provide the child with a written record of the reasons for the decision.
(B)
1. (1) When the release authority decides to place a child on supervised release, consistent with division (D) of this section, the department shall prepare a written supervised release plan that specifies the terms and conditions upon which the child is to be released from an institution on supervised release and, at least thirty days prior to the release of the child on the supervised release, shall send to the committing court and the juvenile court of the county in which the child will be placed a copy of the supervised release plan and the terms and conditions of release. The juvenile court of the county in which the child will be placed, within fifteen days after its receipt of the copy of the supervised release plan, may add to the supervised release plan any additional consistent terms and conditions it considers appropriate, provided that the court may not add any term or condition that decreases the level or degree of supervision specified by the release authority in the plan, that substantially increases the financial burden of supervision that will be experienced by the department of youth services, or that alters the placement specified by the plan. If, within fifteen days after its receipt of the copy of the supervised release plan, the juvenile court of the county in which the child will be placed does not add to the supervised release plan any additional terms and conditions, the court shall enter the supervised release plan in its journal within that fifteen-day period and, within that fifteen-day period, shall send to the release authority a copy of the journal entry of the supervised release plan. The journalized plan shall apply regarding the child's supervised release. If, within fifteen days after its receipt of the copy of the supervised release plan, the juvenile court of the county in which the child will be placed adds to the supervised release plan any additional terms and conditions, the court shall enter the supervised release plan and the additional terms and conditions in its journal and, within that fifteen-day period, shall send to the release authority a copy of the journal entry of the supervised release plan and additional terms and conditions. The journalized supervised release plan and additional terms and conditions added by the court that satisfy the criteria described in this division shall apply regarding the child's supervised release. If, within fifteen days after its receipt of the copy of the supervised release plan, the juvenile court of the county in which the child will be placed neither enters in its journal the supervised release plan nor enters in its journal the supervised release plan plus additional terms and conditions added by the court, the court and the department of youth services may attempt to resolve any differences regarding the plan within three days. If a resolution is not reached within that three-day period, thereafter, the supervised release plan shall be enforceable to the same extent as if the court actually had entered the supervised release plan in its journal.
2. (2) When the release authority receives from the court a copy of the journalized supervised release plan and, if applicable, a copy of the journalized additional terms and conditions added by the court, the release authority shall keep the original copy or copies in the child's file and shall provide a copy of each document to the child, the employee of the department who is assigned to supervise and assist the child while on release, and the committing court.
(C) If a child who is in the custody of the department of youth services was committed pursuant to division (A)(1)(b), (c), (d), or (e) of section 2152.16 of the Revised Code and has been institutionalized or institutionalized in a secure facility for the prescribed minimum periods of time under those divisions and if the release authority is satisfied that the discharge of the child without the child being placed on supervised release would be consistent with the welfare of the child and protection of the public, the release authority, without approval of the court that committed the child, may discharge the child from the department's custody and control without placing the child on supervised release. Additionally, the release authority may discharge a child in the department's custody without the child being placed on supervised release if the child is removed from the jurisdiction of this state by a court order of a court of this state, another state, or the United States, or by any agency of this state, another state, or the United States, if the child is convicted of or pleads guilty to any criminal offense, or as otherwise provided by law. At least fifteen days before the scheduled date of discharge of the child without the child being placed on supervised release, the department shall notify the committing court, in writing, that it is going to discharge the child and of the reason for the discharge. Upon discharge of the child without the child being placed on supervised release, the department immediately shall certify the discharge in writing and shall transmit the certificate of discharge to the committing court.
(D) In addition to requirements that are reasonably related to the child's prior pattern of criminal or delinquent behavior and the prevention of further criminal or delinquent behavior, the release authority shall specify the following requirements for each child whom it releases:
1. (1) The child shall observe the law.
2. (2) The child shall maintain appropriate contact, as specified in the written supervised release plan for that child.
3. (3) The child shall not change residence unless the child seeks prior approval for the change from the employee of the department assigned to supervise and assist the child, provides that employee, at the time the child seeks the prior approval for the change, with appropriate information regarding the new residence address at which the child wishes to reside, and obtains the prior approval of that employee for the change.
(E) The period of a child's supervised release may extend from the date of release from an institution until the child attains twenty-one years of age. If the period of supervised release extends beyond one year after the date of release, the child may request in writing that the release authority conduct a discharge review after the expiration of the one-year period or the minimum period or period. If the child so requests, the release authority shall conduct a discharge review and give the child its decision in writing. The release authority shall not grant a discharge prior to the discharge date if it finds good cause for retaining the child in the custody of the department until the discharge date. A child may request an additional discharge review six months after the date of a previous discharge review decision, but not more than once during any six-month period after the date of a previous discharge review decision.
(F) At least two weeks before the release authority places on supervised release or discharge a child who was committed to the legal custody of the department, the release authority shall provide notice of the release or discharge as follows:
1. (1) In relation to the placement on supervised release or discharge of a child who was committed to the department for committing an act that is a category one or category two offense, the release authority shall notify, by the specified deadline, all of the following of the release or discharge:
  1. (a) The prosecuting attorney of the county in which the child was adjudicated a delinquent child and committed to the custody of the department;
  2. (b) Whichever of the following is applicable:
    1. (i) If upon the supervised release or discharge the child will reside in a municipal corporation, the chief of police or other chief law enforcement officer of that municipal corporation;
    2. (ii) If upon the supervised release or discharge the child will reside in an unincorporated area of a county, the sheriff of that county.
2. (2) In relation to the placement on supervised release or discharge of a child who was committed to the department for committing any act, the release authority shall notify, by the specified deadline, each victim of the act for which the child was committed to the legal custody of the department who, pursuant to section 5139.56 of the Revised Code, has requested to be notified of the placement of the child on supervised release or the discharge of the child, provided that, if any victim has designated a person pursuant to that section to act on the victim's behalf as a victim's representative, the notification required by this division shall be provided to that victim's representative.