(a) (1) Unless a mandatory jail term is required to be imposed by Ohio R.C. 1547.99(G), 4510.14(B) or 4511.19(G), or any other provision of the Revised Code, or any municipal ordinance, a court that imposes a sentence under this chapter upon an offender for a misdemeanor or minor misdemeanor has discretion to determine the most effective way to achieve the purposes and principles of sentencing set forth in Section 698.02.
(2) Unless a specific sanction is required to be imposed or is precluded from being imposed by the section setting forth an offense or the penalty for an offense or by any provision of Sections 666.99 or 698.02 of this code or Ohio R.C. 2929.23 to 2929.28, a court that imposes a sentence upon an offender for a misdemeanor may impose on the offender any sanction or combination of sanctions under Section 698.02(b) to (f). The court shall not impose a sentence that imposes an unnecessary burden on local government resources.
(b) (1) In determining the appropriate sentence for a misdemeanor, the court shall consider all of the following factors:
A. The nature and circumstances of the offense or offenses;
B. Whether the circumstances regarding the offender and the offense or offenses indicate that the offender has a history of persistent criminal activity and that the offender's character and condition reveal a substantial risk that the offender will commit another offense;
C. Whether the circumstances regarding the offender and the offense or offenses indicate that the offender's history, character and condition reveal a substantial risk that the offender will be a danger to others and that the offender's conduct has been characterized by a pattern of repetitive, compulsive or aggressive behavior with heedless indifference to the consequences;
D. Whether the victim's youth, age, disability or other factor made the victim particularly vulnerable to the offense or made the impact of the offense more serious;
E. Whether the offender is likely to commit future crimes in general, in addition to the circumstances described in divisions (b)(1)B. and (b)(1)C. of this section.
(2) In determining the appropriate sentence for a misdemeanor, in addition to complying with division (b)(1) of this section, the court may consider any other factors that are relevant to achieving the purposes and principles of sentencing set forth in Section 698.02(a).
(c) Before imposing a jail term as a sentence for a misdemeanor, a court shall consider the appropriateness of imposing a community control sanction or a combination of community control sanctions under Section 698.02(c), (d), (e) and (f). A court may impose the longest jail term authorized under Section 698.02(b) only upon offenders who commit the worst forms of the offense or upon offenders whose conduct and response to prior sanctions for prior offenses demonstrate that the imposition of the longest jail term is necessary to deter the offender from committing a future crime.
(d) (1) A sentencing court shall consider any relevant oral or written statement made by the victim, the defendant, the defense attorney or the prosecuting authority regarding sentencing for a misdemeanor. This division does not create any rights to notice other than those rights authorized by Ohio R.C. Chapter 2930.
(2) At the time of sentencing for a misdemeanor or as soon as possible after sentencing, the court shall notify the victim of the offense of the victim's right to file an application for an award of reparations pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2743.51 to 2743.72.
(ORC 2929.22)