A Message from the President

I am honored to serve as President of the Ohio Justice Alliance for Community Corrections. I hope that when my term is completed, I will have added to the fine legacy of outstanding leadership that the OJACC membership has grown accustomed.  However, if I am fortunate enough to be seen in that light, I know that it will be the cumulative work of the membership, trustees, state funded partners, and the Organizational Coordinator that has defined this success. Understanding this, I feel compelled to thank those that have worked diligently over these 24 plus years. The synergy of your efforts has established Ohio’s corrections and community corrections as a national leader. Together, we have committed to the improvement of corrections and community corrections to ensure the wise investment of public funds.

Looking toward the future, there are many challenges on the horizon. In most communities throughout Ohio, city and county budgets continue to shrink. Social services that were once relied upon to support our mutual goals of public safety and rehabilitation have diminished. Most systems are re-evaluating and re-prioritizing their scarce resources. And within these changes, opportunities will emerge. To ensure its membership is prepared to succeed in this environment, OJACC members readily share their collective knowledge and wisdom at our annual conference, bi-monthly trustee and committee meetings, at the biennial retreat and through our newsletters and website. It is my hope that the membership will fully embrace these tools as useful and critical components of their future success.

Respectfully,

Scott A. Sylak,

President