Bryan Buckus of Akron is the ideal case study for those seeking to rebuild their lives from felony convictions.Buckus committed a low-level felony drug offense in March 2009, before Ohio’s new sentencing law went into effect, and was placed on probation as a first-time offender.One month later, another drug arrest.It was only then, Buckus said, that he knew he had to change.Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tom Teodosio gave Buckus a break by sending him to drug court, and he took advantage of the yearlong treatment program.“If it wasn’t for that,” he said, “I’d still be in prison.”When Buckus, 28, told his story last week to a packed house at the 30th anniversary celebration of the county’s community corrections facility, Oriana House, the luncheon crowd of nearly 300 gave him a standing ovation.“I’m here today, because you gave me a second chance,” he said, gesturing in appreciation as the applause drowned him out.State legislators envisioned hundreds of cases like Buckus’ when House Bill 86 was signed into law in June. Their goal was to reduce the state’s overcrowded prison population and save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.The new law, described by state prison director Gary C. Mohr as “the most sweeping sentencing reform bill enacted in Ohio since 1996,” went into effect Sept. 30.As of Thursday, state prisons spokesman Carlo LoParo said the statewide inmate population was 50,193 — far exceeding the 38,000 for which the system was designed.Under the new law, prison officials project a reduction of 3,302 inmates by fiscal year 2015, with estimated savings of $46.3 million, LoParo said.How will it be done?In one of the most important of its many provisions, House Bill 86 mandates that judges must give probation to first-time, nonviolent, lower-level offenders.Instead of doing a year or so in prison, as often is the case for fourth- and fifth-degree felonies, those offenders now must be sent to court-ordered diversion programs involving lengthy treatment and counseling.Other provisions of the law give inmates a chance to earn up to 8 percent credit off their sentences by completing treatment and training programs; lower the maximum penalty on third-degree felonies from five to three years; and allow the state prison director to file a request for judicial release after inmates have served 80 percent of their sentences.Being ‘smart on crime’Summit County Common Pleas Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands, who is a member of the community corrections committee of the Ohio Judicial College, said she is convinced the new law will reduce the inmate population and save money as officials estimate.“Finally, the folks in the legislature are beginning to recognize that being smart on crime is the way to go. I think that perhaps, in the past, there has been confusion between being smart on crime and what’s been labeled as being tough on crime,” Rowlands said.“For some of the judges here,” she said, “the changes are going to reflect what we already do.”Summit County, Rowlands said, is extremely fortunate to have had alternative corrections programs, such as Oriana, in place for decades.“The vast majority of counties don’t have anything beyond their own probation department. There are only a handful of CBCFs [community-based corrections facilities] in the state,” Rowlands said.Teodosio, who is in charge of the county’s drug court, is a strong advocate of alternative sentencing.“The great majority of these offenders,” Teodosio said, “have some sort of substance abuse issue. If you send them to prison, they’re going to have the same substance abuse issue when they come out and recommit crimes.”Summit’s drug court, in which the judge closely monitors the yearlong treatment and counseling program, “is a great example of how to treat the issue,” Teodosio said.“If you treat the substance abuse issue, you’re going to reduce the rate of recidivism. Hopefully, a lot of counties will be forced to utilize these resources now,” he said.But House Bill 86, some 140 pages in length, also is being approached with caution.Faith in Oriana HouseThe new law has so many provisions, Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh said, the agency already has held a training meeting to review all of the provisions.“We have a lot of faith in Oriana House. They have done a wonderful job over the years, but because this is all so new, there’s a lot of work to be done to ensure that any individuals who are not sent to prison are receiving proper programming.”Buckus, the young man who spoke at last week’s Oriana luncheon, told the crowd he has not used drugs or had a drink of alcohol in over two years.However, to say he was taken aback by the first meeting he attended in his treatment program would be an understatement.It was a sewing class.“I was sitting around talking to a bunch of drug addicts and drug sellers about sewing!” he said.But he knew he had to change, because if he did not take his rehabilitation programs seriously, “I was looking at four years. I knew this was my last chance.”The program, he said, made him accountable to himself and to the state “to turn my life around. I was lucky to have this opportunity.”Today, Buckus said, he volunteers twice a week at the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services crisis center, is a sponsor in a 12-step recovery program, has a girlfriend and holds good job as a wok and sushi chef at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro on West Market Street.Buckus said he also received a promotion at a new sushi restaurant opening soon in downtown Medina.He had worked for the owners at another of their restaurants on Embassy Parkway in the Montrose area.“I was there from the beginning when I was using, they gave me another chance when I came back, and now I’ve got this position in management,” Buckus said. “My boss told me point blank: ‘I would never give you this opportunity if you weren’t sober.’ ”Buckus said he completed his drug court program Oct. 2 of last year, with a final appearance in Teodosio’s court.The courtroom was packed, and when Teodosio announced from the bench that Buckus had made it through successfully, the people in the gallery gave him a standing ovation.“No drink or drug,” Buckus said, “could give me the feeling I had that day.”Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or at emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com.