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| Pray that our legislators will advocate for both justice and mercy for those incarcerated. |
The following issues of concern were shared with me by a Virginia prisoner. Feel free to address any or all of them in a letter or email to your state senator or delegate:
Dear Senator ________ (or Delegate _________):
As a citizen of Virginia, I and others would like for you to address the following criminal justice issues and see that much needed reforms are passed and implemented by the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) and the Virginia Parole Board (VPB):
VIRGINIA'S GROWING PRISON POPULATION
In the early 1990's Virginia had just over ten thousand people incarcerated. Now there are some thirty thousand behind bars, costing taxpayers over one billion dollars annually. It is much more cost effective to rehabilitate and release people than to keep them incarcerated. There are people who have been incarcerated in Virginia since the 1960's who have been model inmates and many have aged out of crime. There are approximately 1,500 parole eligible people who have served 25 or more consecutive years in prison and/or are age 50 and older. There are over five hundred people who are eligible for both Regular Parole and Geriatric Parole grants in Virginia's prisons. These people should be released if their merits, prison record and attitudes demonstrate they are no longer a threat to society and their COMPAS Test show that they are a low risk for violent recidivism and or recidivism in general. Their past offense(s) should not be the deciding issue, as human beings evolve and can change (be corrected) over time while in a Department of Corrections facility.
INMATES AND COVID-19
Deserving inmates who could possible die or be permanently disabled from contracting the COVID-19 virus should be released with a conditional pardon.
PAROLE IN VIRGINIA (RETROACTIVE)
Priority should be given to the release of deserving inmates who were sentenced prior to the implementation of the 1995 "No Parole" law, then those who have become eligible under the Fishback category and those who are eligible for geriatric release.
CLOSE LAWRENCEVILLE CORRECTIONAL CENTER
This Geo Group privately operated prison should be closed and sold or used as a reentry facility for parolees.
VIRGINIA PAROLE BOARD ISSUES
> The VPB shall no longer use the inmate's crime as a reason to deny parole.
> The VPB shall not arbitrarily deny parole release to inmates who have served 25 or more consecutive years.
> When VPB provides a "not grant" decision, the VPB shall tell each inmate how to enhance their chance for release.
THE HOME PLAN CATCH-22
Parole eligible people are currently in a catch-22 situation. The Parole Board requires each parole eligible person to have an approved Home Plan with a specific address. Otherwise the person will be given a "not grant" decision by the VPB. But many places that provide parole eligible people with beds when they are released won't promise or reserve a bed for a person until after they have received a Grant from the VPB.
WI-FI IN INMATE HOUSING UNITS
Provide WiFi in housing units so inmates can receive regular educational material from VADOC 24-7 even during a pandemic.
LAPTOP COMPUTERS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. VADOC should do one of the following:
> provide each inmate with a new or used laptop computer
> allow each inmate to purchase their own new or used laptop computer
> allow each inmate's family or friend to purchase a new or used laptop computer and have it shipped directly to the inmate at whatever facility they are housed
> allow inmates to store information on their laptop's hard drive. It would be easier for technicians to search for contraband and it would eliminate excessive paperwork.
COMPUTER SOFTWARE EDUCATIONAL USE. VADOC should:
> allow each inmate to purchase their own new or used software
> allow each inmate's family or friend to purchase them new or used software and have it shipped directly to the inmate at whatever facility where they are housed. (For example: Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, and etc.)
> VADOC should make a contract with Microsoft to sell us their Microsoft Surface laptop with Microsoft Office already installed for a reasonable/affordable price.
INCREASE INMATE PAY AND HOURS
VADOC inmates should be provided an increase in pay and should be allowed to work 40 hour weeks. The majority of inmates are paid from ¢.27 to ¢.45 per hour and has been In effect for over three decades. It was the pay before and after VADOC allowed for-profit companies to enter the VADOC and to profit off of inmates.
Thank you for helping bring about much needed criminal justice changes to Virginia. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Senator Mark Obenshain
Delegate Tony Wilt
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