The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited as saying, “The only constant in life is change.” And CoreCivic’s Northeast Ohio Correctional Center has been making change possible for people since 1997.

Located in Youngstown, Ohio, the facility offers a variety of programming to incarcerated individuals, including an innovative college program that gives returning citizens a chance to earn degrees. Launched in February 2020, the Ashland University program offers both associate's and bachelor's degree opportunities and has seen more than 160 individuals enroll since the program's inception. It's free for returning citizens, with those who are not qualified for government Pell Grants receiving a subsidy from CoreCivic to attend classes.

Northeast Ohio operates under the leadership of Warden David Bobby, who joined the facility in 2021 after more than 30 years of correctional experience. He believes the keys to Northeast Ohio's success with this college program and others can be found within an outstanding team.

“Since becoming warden at Northeast Ohio in February, I have been totally impressed by the dedicated staff at this facility. They truly know what teamwork means, and are always willing to help another team member out,” Bobby said.

It was this spirit of teamwork that led to a recent upgrade that will benefit individuals and their families – an enhanced visitation area. Under the direction of Chief of Unit Management David Yemma and Recreation Coordinator John Missos, part of the facility’s visitation area has been transformed into a warmer, more inviting space for family members. From the brightly colored murals on the walls to the soft foam squares on the floor, the facility now offers a comfortable place for those in our care to visit with their children. Family reunification is a vital component to successful reentry.

Northeast Ohio was also recently selected as an Initiative Center by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. With this designation, individuals who recidivate in the state go to the facility to complete robust programming with Northeast Ohio staff. The goal of the program is to reduce recidivism rates and help reintegrate returning citizens back into the community successfully. Some of the programming includes Thinking for a Change (T4C), Victim Awareness, Money Smart, Anger Management, Decision Points, Inside Out Dads, and addiction recovery services.

“I am proud of the work we do to help those in our care prepare for the next step,” said Bobby. “I believe good things are on the horizon for this facility.”