It is time for Ohio to join the majority of the nation
and end a 25-year-old tradition of temporarily suspending a driver’s license for
drug offenses that don’t involve a vehicle. Time has shown the practice doesn’t
work. Even worse, it causes far more harm than good.
Thirty-four states have already abandoned this policy,
which was first implemented at the federal level in the 1990s. Ohio’s Senate
Bill 204 and House Bill 307 would allow our state to follow suit.
Both the SB and HB would provide judges with the
discretion to impose license suspensions if, and only if, it’s a suitable
punishment. In other words, it does not prohibit the suspension of a license. The
six-month mandatory suspension simply would be eliminated. Members of the
Athens County Reentry Task Force think this bill is a step in the right
direction and hope to see it through to passage.
There is no doubt that unsafe drivers should be
prohibited from driving until they are willing to abide by traffic safety laws.
Suspending a license, in those instances, could be an appropriate punishment.
But research has found that imposing a license suspension as a penalty for non-driving-related
offenses “is ineffective,” as stated by the American Association of Motor
Vehicle Administrators. The policy simply has not deterred the undesired
behavior.
Lack of reliable transportation is the No. 1 barrier to
employment. This is especially true for those in rural areas where public
transportation is limited. Here in Athens County, for example, we have a robust
public transit system, but it still does not reach all corners of the county.
This means driving is an essential part of modern survival. Without driving
privileges, many lose their jobs and struggle to find new ones. Every aspect of
their lives is ultimately affected.
A study of a similar program in New Jersey found that 42%
of drivers whose license were suspended lost their jobs, according to American
Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Of those, 45% did not find new
employment. Of those that did find another job, 88% reported a decrease in
income.
For the sake of their livelihood, many drive illegally,
which leaves them vulnerable to other penalties. What we currently have in
place is not good public policy. We have set these people up for failure. It’s
easy to see how and why a family may fall into poverty and ultimately
re-offend.
Let’s move on from this ineffective approach. Instead,
let us embrace a policy that protects an individual’s ability to remain
self-sufficient.
Athens County Reentry Task Force
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About the Athens
County Reentry Task Force
Formed in 2009, the Athens County Reentry Task Force is
made up of community partners who work together to help ex-offenders transition
back into society and become independent. The Task Force recognizes the need
for a coordinated approach geared toward building and supporting a range of
collaborative community programs to address the barriers to self-sufficiency in
an effort to reduce crime, recidivism and improve public safety.
