As a recipient of judicial release, Devon spoke from first-hand experience about how expanding opportunities for judicial release encourages individuals inside correctional facilities to take advantage of more programming and look for the tools and resources that would benefit themselves upon release. Knowing that he had the opportunity to receive judicial release gave Devon hope and urgency in taking advantage of these resources in order to expedite his return to his family. Devon encouraged the committee to expand eligibility for earned time, judicial release, and expungement. Almost everyone in prison will return to their communities; therefore, we must be prepared to deliver high quality training and reentry services.

SB 288 aims to help more people in becoming “productive members of society” once they leave incarceration. CEO Ohio is one of the state's key reentry workforce providers, and since opening our doors at the end of 2017 we have provided services to over 1500 returning citizens in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus. CEO ensures these individuals are given the proper chance for longstanding success. Devon's leadership is a shining example of this - he began at CEO Cleveland as a participant and has been the site director since summer 2021.