The Buckeye Institute Named Finalist For Atlas Network’s 2018 Templeton Freedom Award For Criminal Justice Reform Accomplishments

Columbus, Ohio-based Buckeye Institute has been named one of six finalists for Atlas Network’s prestigious $100,000 Templeton Freedom Award for its work on reforming the criminal justice system in Ohio.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Too often, lives are defined by a single mistake. The Buckeye Institute endeavored to change this and fix a broken criminal justice system. This small think tank in Ohio has been relentless in its quest to protect the rights of the accused and to save Ohio taxpayers millions of dollars. 

“We are grateful and honored to be recognized by Atlas Network for our tireless work on criminal justice reform,” said Robert Alt, president and chief executive officer of The Buckeye Institute. “Buckeye’s public policy accomplishments and the left-right coalition we built to advance these innovative ideas have had tremendous impact in protecting the rights of the accused, effectively rehabilitating offenders, and reducing the cost of Ohio’s criminal justice system to taxpayers. We hope our unique model for criminal justice reform will serve as an example for other states to follow.”

Buckeye’s efforts have blazed a trail to reverse Ohio’s growth trend in incarceration by shrinking the state’s prison population to below 50,000, dramatically slashing the recidivism rate from 40 to 27 percent, reducing prison admissions by nearly 10 percent, expanding opportunities for thousands of people leaving prison, and redirecting $40 million to Ohio communities for the treatment of addiction and mental health issues. As a result, Ohio’s prison admissions rate has now hit a 27-year low. The Buckeye Institute’s innovative policy victories are ensuring that prosperity and opportunity are available to all Ohioans, who are now much freer and less likely to become inadvertently ensnared by the criminal justice system.

Too often, lives are defined by a single mistake. The Buckeye Institute endeavored to change this and fix a broken criminal justice system. This small think tank in Ohio has been relentless in its quest to protect the rights of the accused and to save Ohio taxpayers millions of dollars.

“The remarkable work of The Buckeye Institute shows it's possible to thread the needle, and create better outcomes for the accused and their families, while also achieving improvements in public safety and budgetary savings,” said Brad Lips, CEO of Atlas Network.

What: The Buckeye Institute named one of six finalists for Atlas Network's prestigious $100,000 Templeton Freedom Award for criminal justice reform accomplishments in Ohio

When: Nov. 8, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner closing ceremony – Intrepid Museum Manhattan Pier 86, West 46th St & 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036

Press Contact: Daniel.Anthony@AtlasNetwork.org or 202-449-8449

Awarded since 2004, the Templeton Freedom Award is named for the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton. The award annually honors his legacy by identifying and recognizing the most exceptional and innovative contributions to the understanding of free enterprise, and the public policies that encourage prosperity, innovation, and human fulfillment via free competition. The award is generously supported by Templeton Religion Trust and will be presented during Atlas Network's Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner gala dinner ceremony Nov. 8, 2018 in New York City. The winning organization will receive a $100,000 prize and the runners-up will each receive $25,000.

The 2018 Templeton Freedom Award finalists are:

• The Buckeye Institute (Columbus, Ohio, United States) – “Increasing Safety, Liberty, and Justice: Comprehensive Criminal Justice Reform in Ohio”
• The Commonwealth Foundation (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States) — “A Titanic Shift: Pension Reform in Pennsylvania”
• The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies of Egypt (Cairo, Egypt) — “Better Budget for a Better Egypt”
• Libertad y Progreso (Buenos Aires, Argentina)  — “Downsizing of Argentina’s Government”
• Lipa Taxpayers Association (Zagreb, Croatia) — “Campaign Against the Introduction of the Property Tax in Croatia”
• The Mercatus Center at George Mason University (Arlington, Virginia, United States) – “Unleashing Prosperity by Cutting State Regulations”

About The Buckeye Institute

Founded in 1989, The Buckeye Institute is an independent research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to advance free-market public policy in the states. The staff at Buckeye accomplish the organization’s mission by performing timely and reliable research on key issues, compiling and synthesizing data, formulating sound free-market policies, and promoting those solutions for implementation in Ohio and replication across the country.

About Atlas Network

Washington-based Atlas Network is a nonprofit organization that strengthens the worldwide freedom movement by connecting more than 485 independent partners in over 90 countries that share the vision of a free, prosperous, and peaceful world where limited governments defend the rule of law, private property, and free markets.

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Daniel Anthony
                    Atlas Network
                    202-449-8449
                    daniel.anthony@atlasnetwork.org
                    
                    AJ Skiera
                    Atlas Network
                    202-449-8440
                    aj.skiera@atlasnetwork.org