Ohio is testing the use of body cameras at the State Penitentiary in Youngstown and other correctional facilities.

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction announced this week the launch of a pilot initiative to evaluate the use and effectiveness of staff body-worn cameras in Ohio prisons and Adult Parole Authority regions.

Body cameras are being used by correctional officers at the Ohio State Penitentiary on Youngstown’s East Side and Chillicothe Correctional Institution. The Cleveland APA and Montgomery Unit of the Dayton APA will be outfitted with cameras beginning next week.

The first phase of the pilot program will run through July 30 and will include the evaluation of equipment provided by two vendors, according to the department of corrections.  The second phase of the pilot program will evaluate equipment by two different vendors from August 9 to October 1.

“At DRC, our number one priority is safety, and we believe that a body-worn camera program could go far to help protect our staff, inmates, parolees, and communities as a whole,” stated DRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith. “If successful, this pilot program could expand to all state prisons and APA regions to help not only ensure a safer prison environment but also to enhance accountability and transparency in our operations as well.”

There is no cost to DRC for the pilot phases. If fully implemented, the estimated final cost for the first year of full implementation is approximately $17 million based on input from other jurisdictions where similar systems are in place.