Gov. Mike DeWine says he wants to make it easier and quicker for people who have long-ago criminal convictions to be considered for pardons. It’s another part of his recent moves to make changes to Ohio’s parole and post-release system.
DeWine says he often sees pardon applications for murderers, rapists and other offenders.
"They got a snowball's chance in hell of getting granted, some of them," DeWine said. "And so they're kind of clogging the system, and the people who really should be applying aren’t applying."
His expedited pardon process is for people convicted of mostly nonviolent crimes who haven’t re-offended in the last decade, have paid restitution and done community service and have a job or a reason for not working.
"We don't know the full impact of this. And so, I'm doing this because I have the power to do it."
Law students from Ohio State and the University of Akron would screen applicants. Past criminal convictions can be disqualifiers for employment, housing and student loans.
