Ohio toughens governor's residence-inmate program

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio is toughening rules for a decades-old program that allows minimum-security inmates to work at the governor’s residence.

An agreement announced today will require inmates’ locations to be noted in writing every 30 minutes and will limit where on the property prisoners can go.

The plan also requires inmates to sign a log whenever they use a tool, and it improves training of Ohio State Highway Patrol officers assigned to supervise the prisoners.

The changes follow a state watchdog report that uncovered evidence that some inmates were using the work program to smuggle contraband such as tobacco back to prison.