Watchdog wants to keep reports private

Some fear if letters aren't kept confidential, inmates will stop writing.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- The state's prison watchdog wants its records of inmate complaints sealed, citing dangers prisoners could face if their allegations against other inmates or guards became public.
"In the prison system, snitching is forbidden, and it comes with serious consequences," said Shirley Pope, director of Ohio's Correctional Institution Inspection Committee.
The legislative watchdog group documents problems in Ohio's 32 prisons and conducts unannounced visits to the institutions.
Pope recommended closing the inmate records earlier this month, after a request for documents about the Toledo Correctional Institution by the Ohio chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Pope told committee members in a Dec. 14 report that Richard Jones, an assistant attorney general, urged the agency to seek legislation exempting the records.
Jones referred questions to Petro spokesman Mark Anthony, who said Jones only advised the agency about current law and did not take a position.
The ACLU's request was the first of its kind, and the committee has not had problems with inmates' being retaliated against in the past, Pope said.
The committee complied with the ACLU's request.
Varying perspectives
Closing the records eliminates a way to find out about problems in the prisons that need to be fixed, said Carrie Davis, staff counsel for the ACLU.
Current law contains exceptions to the public records law that could be used to address Pope's concerns, Davis said.
"These are the public's records," Davis said. "The way we keep tabs on the operations of our government, the way we identify and fix problems is through public records."
The inspection committee is an eight-member agency evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.
Republicans on the committee are leaning toward restricting the records, which would require a bill to change state law.
Inmates' letters "really should be kept confidential, or they're going to stop writing, and we'll stop knowing what's going on in these prisons," said Rep. John Willamowski of Lima, the committee's chairman.
But Democrat Rep. Todd Book said that although he understands concerns about inmate safety, he's uneasy about closing the records.
"My nature is I like for things to be public as much as possible," said Book, of Portsmouth.
The Ohio Newspaper Association sees merits in both arguments and might accept a compromise that would partially restrict what was released.
Bills under consideration
A series of other public records bills are also before lawmakers.
Legislation pending in the House would require public offices to establish a records policy and prohibit public entities from demanding the names of people asking for records and what they intend to do with them.
The bill would also allow a judge to impose fines and award court costs when a public body illegally denies records. It would also require the attorney general to develop a training program for public officials.
A House-passed bill now before the Senate would prohibit coroners from releasing autopsy photos, suicide notes and other records, such as preliminary investigation notes.
A recently introduced bill in the Senate would prevent public bodies from using e-mail to circumvent the state's open meetings law.