So You Have A Felony: Now What?

There isn’t much thought put in after a verdict is served in the courtroom. Someone was either found innocent or guilty. They are free to leave or have a sentence to carry out. Justice has been served, everybody goes home. This isn’t all the way true. Depending on the conviction, someone’s life could drastically change and not for the better.Most criminal systems across the United States divide their crimes into several different categories depending on the seriousness of the crime. The major categories are: infractions; misdemeanors; and felonies. However, within these categories there may be different levels or classes. A felony conviction carries a minimum of a 3 year sentence, a loss of rights and privileges, and a lifetime of changes.  

A felony is the most serious type of crime. Many states categorize their felony crimes by the degree of seriousness. The State of Ohio has first, second, third, fourth and fifth degree felonies. An individual convicted of a felony suffers traumatic consequences which may continue after the individual has completed their sentence. These collateral consequences are commonly known as “civil disabilities.”

When a person is found or pleads guilty to a felony crime in the state of Ohio, they will lose certain rights under the law. The Ohio Revised Code states that anyone convicted of a felony will automatically not be allowed to sign or be involved in the gathering of signatures for petitions, applications or declarations related to public candidacy or voting. In addition, the person loses the ability to hold public office or serve on a jury. However, the right to vote and serve on a jury are restored upon completion of the sentence, which includes release from incarceration, and parole or probation.

Under Ohio law, a person convicted of any felony offense of violence or any offense involving the illegal possession, use, sale, administration, distribution, or trafficking of any drug of abuse is prohibited from knowingly acquiring, having, carrying, or using any firearm or dangerous ordnance. See Ohio Revised Code ‘ 2923.13(A)(2), (3).

A person convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term longer than one year is prohibited from knowingly acquiring, having, carrying, or using any firearm or ammunition. See 18 U.S.C. ‘ 921(g)(1). Federal law also prohibits firearm possession by persons convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. See 18 U.S.C. ‘ 922(g)(9).

Upon release, many individuals are not aware of what liberties they have lost, which makes them a target for breaking the law again. Another thing that makes them a target for breaking the law again is the fact that may jobs are unwilling to hire someone with felony.

“When I got out all they did was stick me in a halfway house, which was cool you know I got to rekindle with my family and stuff but once you leave it’s just you out into the free world and there’s no one there to assist you,”said Alexander Tisbye.

Tisbye was convicted of a Class E felony for assault with a deadly weapon. He served his time from November of 2002 till November 2005. When he got let out, he went to a halfway house for a period of one year. During which, he got acclimated to what he missed politically, retaught basic skills, and slowly dive back into a social life. “ The most awkward part was my freedom. It was very limited. Cause you know in them houses you can’t have phones and you gotta be back by a certain time and what not but when I left nobody was following me or anything. I was trusted to do my own thing,” said Tisbye.

Tisbye hardest thing when getting out of prison was finding a job.  “I started getting small under the table jobs, helping people with cars, washing cars, doing dishes, even went as low as to babysitting. Anything to have some kind of money in my pocket. I probably filled out about 60 maybe 65 job applications, not one call back,” said Tisbye.  Eventually, Tisbye got the support he needed when he was offered a job at a local restaurant as shift coordinator.

Tisbye release would have went much smoother if he had joined a reentry program.

Bri Moon is the Reentry Coordinator and Lake County Coalition Chair at The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction.  Her job is to assist inmates within the county upon their release from prison. She works with collaborative partners to across the state to facilitate community linkages for released offenders seeking to obtain and maintain sustainable employment.

“What generally happens is I get a list of people being released within the next month into Lake County. We develop sort of this pen pal relationship. I asset their needs and wants. I’m more than likely the first person they talk to when they are released,” said Moon.

Moon also works with John Grzincic, the Reentry Coordinator for the Akron Region of The ODRC.  Grzinic says that one of the main issues with people coming back is their plan.

“ Sometimes people have a plan, it’s probably a non-violent felony that they committed. It wasn’t drastic for them to lose family ties. So they think they’re gonna live with their aunt or already have a job line up. Most common thing we see is some apartment complexes don’t want a felonies name on the lease, then they can’t live with them so that plan that they had falls through,” said Grzincic.

“We work with employment companies that understand how hard it is to get a job out of prison. The goal is to get them working and acclimated to a regular life as soon as possible to lessen the chance of getting into their old habits,” Moon.

Grzincic and Moon also noted communication as an issue with reentry. When people come out they have no phones are anyway to contact someone. It takes them a while to find their way to Grzincic and/or Moon. Finding housing makes it even harder for them to adjust to society.

Breaking the law is something one should never do. But is important to understand what punishments align with what law to ensure you arent the track to committing a felony. When someone is released from prison with a felony there is already a stigma around them without them even getting a chance to explain themselves. The best decision for anyone after returning from prison is to contact your local reentry organization.

The ODRC accepts volunteers on a regular basis. After adequate training and evaluation you can assist in the reentry programs across Ohio. Contact your local ODRC Reentry Coordinator for more information. Your coordinator can be found here.