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Richardson Urges Action on Private Prisons
Last week,
Cincinnati attorney and candidate for Ohio Treasurer, Rob
Richardson sent a letter to current Ohio Treasurer Josh
Mandel urging him to conduct a fiscal and economic impact
study into Ohio’s prison system.
“I’m writing out of a deeply personal concern about one of
the most devastating trends over the last decade in Ohio.
With the rise of for-profit, private prisons, Ohio now has
one of the highest levels of mass incarceration in the
country, tearing families apart and costing taxpayers $1
billion every year,” writes Richardson. “Taxpayers have a
right to know how much of their tax dollars are being used
to line the pockets of private prisons. This money could be
used to more adequately invest in education equality,
affordable healthcare, and better paying jobs. By
re-focusing our state’s resources into lifting people up,
rather than locking them up, we can keep more families
together and grow our state’s economy.”
Rob Richardson is a former chairman of the University of
Cincinnati Board of Trustees. During his tenure he
established the UC Scholars Academy for students in
Cincinnati Public Schools, where he raised hundreds of
thousands of dollars for student scholarships. He also
founded the 1819 Innovation Hub, where university students
have the chance to interact with the private sector, helping
to design, test, and improve products and processes for
private companies.
Richardson has been a longtime advocate for workers’ rights
as a marketing construction representative. He also serves
of counsel with the law firm Branstetter, Stranch &
Jennings, where he specializes in securities litigation.
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