Ross Correctional Institution

{{Short description|State prison in Ohio}}

{{Infobox Prison

| prison_name = Ross Correctional Institution (RCI)

| location = 16149 State Route 104, Chillicothe, Ohio

| classification = Close to Maximum
Death Row

| capacity = 2037

| opened = 1987

| managed_by = Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

| warden = William Cool

}}

Ross Correctional Institution (RCI) is an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) close security state prison for men located in Union Township, Ross County, Ohio, near Chillicothe, Ohio,{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st39_oh/county/c39141_ross/DC20BLK_C39141.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Ross County, OH|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|page=10 (PDF p. 11/34)|access-date=2024-11-21|quote=Ross Correctional Instn}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st39_oh/county/c39141_ross/DC20BLK_C39141_BLK2MS.txt Text list] - Some prison land extends into Chillicothe, but the map does not state which prison it belongs to. adjacent to the medium-security Chillicothe Correctional Institution and the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. First opened in 1987, Ross houses 2,037 inmates.{{cite web |url=http://www.drc.ohio.gov/Public/rci.htm |title=Ross Correctional Institution |website=www.drc.ohio.gov |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080823235255/http://www.drc.ohio.gov/Public/rci.htm |archive-date=2008-08-23}} The institution covers 1,707 acres and employed over 350 security staff. As of January 6, 2016, there are 2085 inmates at the institution. Around 56% of the inmate population are classified as African American, 43% classified as Caucasian, and 0.01% classified as other. As of 2016, ODRC estimates that the daily cost for each inmate is $51.77.{{Cite web|title = Ross Correctional Institution|url = http://www.drc.ohio.gov:80/Public/rci.htm|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160906081801/http://www.drc.ohio.gov:80/Public/rci.htm|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2016-09-06|access-date = 2016-02-05}} In January, 2024, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction announced it would be moving men's death row from Chillicothe Correctional Institution to Ross Correctional Institution.{{cite news|url=https://www.chillicothegazette.com/story/news/local/2024/01/12/death-row-to-move-from-chillicothe-correctional-to-ross-correctional-institution/72206915007/|title=Death row to move from Chillicothe Correctional to Ross Correctional Institution|work=USA Today Network|agency=Chillicothe Gazette}}

== History ==

On Christmas day 2024, correctional officer Andrew Lansing was killed in the line of duty. The alleged attacker was Rashawn Cannon, an inmate at the prison, who had a long history of disciplinary incidents.{{cite news|url=https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/ohio-inmate-accused-andrew-lansing-rashawn-cannon-killing-co-lengthy-discipline-history-ross-correctional-institution|title=Ohio inmate accused of killing correction officer has lengthy discipline history|last=Duprey|first=Stephanie|agency=WSYX|accessdate=March 31, 2025}} At the time, Cannon had been serving an eight year sentence for felonious assault in connection with an attack on a woman he pistol whipped multiple times in 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.limaohio.com/top-stories/2023/09/18/prison-time-ordered-in-lima-mans-assault-of-woman/|title=Prison time ordered in Lima man’s assault of woman|last=Swygart|first=J|agency=The Lima News|accessdate=March 31, 2025}} In March 2025, Cannon was indicted on aggravated murder charges for Lansing's death.{{cite news|url=https://www.10tv.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/inmate-indicted-months-after-ohio-correctional-officers-death-andys-law/530-b64b2ded-61a7-4ed7-ab4a-3a539579285b|title=Inmate indicted on aggravated murder charges in Ohio correctional officer's death|last=Alleyne|first=Rochelle|agency=WBNS-TV|accessdate=March 31, 2025}}