Petition for Contact Visits with Death-Sentenced Prisoners

Mr. Terry Collins
Director
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

Mr. David Bobby
Warden
Ohio State Penitentiary

Dear Sirs:

Death-sentenced prisoners may be on Death Row for many years before their appeals are decided. The State of Ohio does not permit death-sentenced prisoners to have contact visits with their families until a few days before execution.

We understand the following to be true:

1. A number of Southern states including Louisiana and Virginia permit family members to have contact visits with their loved ones throughout the prisoners time on Death Row.

2. At the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown, maximum security prisoners in general population may have up to twelve (12) contact visits a year whereas death-sentenced prisoners are not allowed any contact visits.

3. Death-sentenced prisoners believe that it might contribute to their good behavior in prison, and thus strengthen their arguments for clemency, if contact visits were permitted.

The request for contact visits for death-sentenced prisoners has been before you for many months. Many executions in Ohio are possible in the near future. Please grant this petition. A HUG IS A HUMAN RIGHT!