Here are 15 remarkable statements from the 140-page Moseley Architects' own "Community-Based Corrections Plan" which, if taken seriously, would reduce or eliminate the need for a second jail for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County (I've inserted the numbers 1-15 and have highlighted some items in bold for emphasis).
p. 115 Adult Drug Court
p. 124 Implementing New Programs: The Jail Bed Space Impact
Community Criminal Justice Board Directory (CCJB)
p. 115 Adult Drug Court
(1) According to the Virginia Supreme Court “the scientific evidence is overwhelming that adult
drug courts reduce crime, reduce substance abuse, improve family relationships, and increase
earning potential. In the process drug courts return net dollar savings back to their communities
that are at least two to three times the initial investments”. According to the National Center for
State Courts, in a report entitled “Virginia Adult Drug Treatment Courts,” (October 2012), in
fiscal year 2011, Drug Courts in Virginia saved taxpayers $19,234 per person as compared to
traditional case processing, and that Drug Courts reduced recidivism rates for the persons
completing a program."
p. 121 Day Reporting Centers
(2) Day Reporting can be adapted to a number of different populations. In Virginia, they are utilized
to offer enhanced treatment and supervision to probationers or sentenced offenders not on
probation; to monitor early released inmates from jail; to monitor arrested persons prior to trial;
as a halfway-out step for inmates who have shown progress in community corrections or work-
|
release centers; and as a halfway-in step for offenders who are in violation of probation.
Sometimes referred to as a “one-stop” shop, a Day Reporting Center offers many of programs
and services that best practices suggests reduces the likelihood of reoffending; reduces
recidivism, and eventually reduce jail bed space requirements, including: individual and group
counseling, substance abuse education, anger management, domestic violence prevention,
cognitive and life skills training, parenting and family reintegration, community service,
education/GED preparation, and reentry services.
|
|||
(3) Rockingham - Harrisonburg should initiate a long range planning strategy to investigate,
develop and implement a continuum of jail-based ... programs and
services for persons with mental health and substance abuse issues, and programs and
services which target the probation violator population which appears to be utilizing a
substantial portion of jail beds.
p. 127 Inmate Population Forecast
Significant Finding: If existing policies, procedures and administrative practices remain unchanged in the future, the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail inmate population (excluding federal prisoners) is projected to reach 524 inmates in FY-21, and 675 inmates by the year FY-29.
p. 136ff SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
(4) Most citizens attending the public “Listening Sessions,” were vocally opposed to expanding jail capacity and expressed frustrations at what they perceived was a lack of jail alternative programs and treatment options for persons processed through the local criminal justice system.
(5) The evidence uncovered during this project suggests that several key offender groups should be targeted in order to control future jail population growth: (1) offenders in un-sentenced awaiting trial (approximately 40% of the inmate population); (2) probation violators (by a number of measures a disproportionally large offender group), and (3) offenders with substantial substance/mental health issues that are associated with repeated criminal behavior and contribute to the jail’s “revolving door.”
(6) Increase system coordination, goal setting, oversight and improved planning information and regular dissemination to decision making. The community has a formal Community Criminal Justice Board (CCJB) with the statutory responsibility to: (1) advise on the development and operation of local pretrial services and community-based probation programs and services for use by the courts in diverting offenders from local correctional facilities; (2) assist community agencies in establishing and modifying programs and services for offenders; (3) evaluate and monitor community programs, services and facilities; and (4) develop and amend criminal justice plans. This group should oversee an ongoing planning effort that focuses the issues associated continuing crowding at all levels of the local system.
(7) It is recommended that several smaller sub-committees, whose membership consists of persons with specific areas of expertise in various areas of the local system, be established to focus on and investigate portions of the system by reviewing, analyzing and identifying processes and programs within the system that can be enhanced to create a more effective and efficient criminal justice system. These sub-committees should include a broad spectrum of representatives from the criminal justice, public health, higher education communities, as well as concerned citizens.
(8) Investigate ways to reduce intake. Programs and administrative practices aimed at reducing intake should be evaluated and implemented. Early and effective pretrial programming should be enhanced with the goal of reducing future intake pressure.
(9) Investigate pretrial confinement policies, procedures and administrative practices. While this report contains an initial profile of persons detained in pretrial status, further investigation is recommended to determine risk levels of persons incarcerated, bond statuses and reasons for confinement. There are, for example, a large number of detainees who are confined without bond for reasons that are not apparent. In addition, available data suggests that over 90% of ordered secure bonds are for amounts of $5,000 or less – amounts that poor people may not be able or willing to pay. In the face of research that suggests that requirements of small secured bond amounts is not related to public safety or appearances in court, further investigation is recommended.
(10) Increase current pretrial and local probation staff levels. Decision makers should consider funding new positions rather waiting for the State funding process which can take several years. There should be phased plan for the expansion of Pretrial and Local Probation services and program options to coincide with the jail planning. A total of 6.5 pretrial and local probation officers combined to provide services to a community with over 125,000 residents with an annual operating budget of just over $635,000 is not adequate to provide services and programs for the offender population, and certainly does support any future expansion of programs and services in the community. Current staff levels for both pretrial and local probation services are inadequate to cope with current and projected workloads and should be increased (at a minimum) to a level in keeping with the projected growth in the offender population.
(11) Expand home electronic monitoring and GPS monitoring as pre- and post- trial supervision options. While not widely used in Virginia, effective electronic monitoring of both pretrial and sentenced offenders who would otherwise be incarcerated in jail provides a viable and effective mechanism for controlling jail crowding.
Investigate/implement an Adult Drug Court program. ...It is widely accepted that Drug Courts reduce recidivism for persons who complete the program.
Investigate/Implement a Day Reporting program. ...Intermediate sanction programs such as intensive probation supervision, house arrest, electronic monitoring and day reporting are intended to serve as a step between the security and punishment of jails. ...This program has the potential to have a near term impact on jail bed needs by allowing targeted offenders to be removed from jail and admitted to this program. See (2) above
(12) Implement and strengthen new jail-based programs. ...including: Work Release, Education Release, Public Work Force, Electronic Home Monitoring, Weekend Sentencing (non-consecutive sentencing). In the consultants’ experience the jails across Virginia that operate the most robust jail-based programs have several important characteristics in common, they have: (1) sufficient space to provide programs and services (in both housing and support areas); (2) formed viable collaborations with community volunteer and community agency groups; (3) demonstrated commitments to providing programs and services to offenders through their jail operations, and (4) program options that have the support of key decision makers in their communities.
(14) Expand and strengthen reentry services for incarcerated offenders. The nature and extent of existing reentry programming was not entirely clear over the course of this project. However, the provision of reentry and transition services is an important service delivery component of many jail-based programs.
(15) Provide expanded Mental Health and Substance Abuse services within the jail. Increasingly, offenders with chronic mental health issues are residing in local and regional jails, and greatly contributing to the “revolving jail door” that is apparent in Rockingham-Harrisonburg.
NOTE: Please contact some or all of the following members of the CCJB who are set to meet at 4 pm Monday, December 8 , at the County Office to consider the Moseley report. This is not a public hearing as such but your respectful presence at the meeting, to be held at 4 pm in the Fire and Rescue room at County Administration on East Gay Street, will send an important message:
p. 127 Inmate Population Forecast
Significant Finding: If existing policies, procedures and administrative practices remain unchanged in the future, the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail inmate population (excluding federal prisoners) is projected to reach 524 inmates in FY-21, and 675 inmates by the year FY-29.
p. 136ff SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
(4) Most citizens attending the public “Listening Sessions,” were vocally opposed to expanding jail capacity and expressed frustrations at what they perceived was a lack of jail alternative programs and treatment options for persons processed through the local criminal justice system.
(5) The evidence uncovered during this project suggests that several key offender groups should be targeted in order to control future jail population growth: (1) offenders in un-sentenced awaiting trial (approximately 40% of the inmate population); (2) probation violators (by a number of measures a disproportionally large offender group), and (3) offenders with substantial substance/mental health issues that are associated with repeated criminal behavior and contribute to the jail’s “revolving door.”
(6) Increase system coordination, goal setting, oversight and improved planning information and regular dissemination to decision making. The community has a formal Community Criminal Justice Board (CCJB) with the statutory responsibility to: (1) advise on the development and operation of local pretrial services and community-based probation programs and services for use by the courts in diverting offenders from local correctional facilities; (2) assist community agencies in establishing and modifying programs and services for offenders; (3) evaluate and monitor community programs, services and facilities; and (4) develop and amend criminal justice plans. This group should oversee an ongoing planning effort that focuses the issues associated continuing crowding at all levels of the local system.
(7) It is recommended that several smaller sub-committees, whose membership consists of persons with specific areas of expertise in various areas of the local system, be established to focus on and investigate portions of the system by reviewing, analyzing and identifying processes and programs within the system that can be enhanced to create a more effective and efficient criminal justice system. These sub-committees should include a broad spectrum of representatives from the criminal justice, public health, higher education communities, as well as concerned citizens.
(8) Investigate ways to reduce intake. Programs and administrative practices aimed at reducing intake should be evaluated and implemented. Early and effective pretrial programming should be enhanced with the goal of reducing future intake pressure.
(9) Investigate pretrial confinement policies, procedures and administrative practices. While this report contains an initial profile of persons detained in pretrial status, further investigation is recommended to determine risk levels of persons incarcerated, bond statuses and reasons for confinement. There are, for example, a large number of detainees who are confined without bond for reasons that are not apparent. In addition, available data suggests that over 90% of ordered secure bonds are for amounts of $5,000 or less – amounts that poor people may not be able or willing to pay. In the face of research that suggests that requirements of small secured bond amounts is not related to public safety or appearances in court, further investigation is recommended.
(10) Increase current pretrial and local probation staff levels. Decision makers should consider funding new positions rather waiting for the State funding process which can take several years. There should be phased plan for the expansion of Pretrial and Local Probation services and program options to coincide with the jail planning. A total of 6.5 pretrial and local probation officers combined to provide services to a community with over 125,000 residents with an annual operating budget of just over $635,000 is not adequate to provide services and programs for the offender population, and certainly does support any future expansion of programs and services in the community. Current staff levels for both pretrial and local probation services are inadequate to cope with current and projected workloads and should be increased (at a minimum) to a level in keeping with the projected growth in the offender population.
(11) Expand home electronic monitoring and GPS monitoring as pre- and post- trial supervision options. While not widely used in Virginia, effective electronic monitoring of both pretrial and sentenced offenders who would otherwise be incarcerated in jail provides a viable and effective mechanism for controlling jail crowding.
Investigate/implement an Adult Drug Court program. ...It is widely accepted that Drug Courts reduce recidivism for persons who complete the program.
Investigate/Implement a Day Reporting program. ...Intermediate sanction programs such as intensive probation supervision, house arrest, electronic monitoring and day reporting are intended to serve as a step between the security and punishment of jails. ...This program has the potential to have a near term impact on jail bed needs by allowing targeted offenders to be removed from jail and admitted to this program. See (2) above
(12) Implement and strengthen new jail-based programs. ...including: Work Release, Education Release, Public Work Force, Electronic Home Monitoring, Weekend Sentencing (non-consecutive sentencing). In the consultants’ experience the jails across Virginia that operate the most robust jail-based programs have several important characteristics in common, they have: (1) sufficient space to provide programs and services (in both housing and support areas); (2) formed viable collaborations with community volunteer and community agency groups; (3) demonstrated commitments to providing programs and services to offenders through their jail operations, and (4) program options that have the support of key decision makers in their communities.
(14) Expand and strengthen reentry services for incarcerated offenders. The nature and extent of existing reentry programming was not entirely clear over the course of this project. However, the provision of reentry and transition services is an important service delivery component of many jail-based programs.
(15) Provide expanded Mental Health and Substance Abuse services within the jail. Increasingly, offenders with chronic mental health issues are residing in local and regional jails, and greatly contributing to the “revolving jail door” that is apparent in Rockingham-Harrisonburg.
NOTE: Please contact some or all of the following members of the CCJB who are set to meet at 4 pm Monday, December 8 , at the County Office to consider the Moseley report. This is not a public hearing as such but your respectful presence at the meeting, to be held at 4 pm in the Fire and Rescue room at County Administration on East Gay Street, will send an important message:
Community Criminal Justice Board Directory (CCJB)
The Honorable T.J. Wilson,
Judge
Rockingham County Circuit Court
Judge of the Circuit Court
80 Court Square
Courthouse Harrisonburg, VA 22802 Phone: (540) 564-3111 Fax: (540) 564-3127 |
|
The Honorable Bruce D.
Albertson, Judge
Rockingham County Circuit Court
Judge of the Circuit Court
80 Court Square
Courthouse Harrisonburg, VA 22802 Phone: (540) 564-3111 Fax: (540) 564-3127 |
|
The Honorable Richard A.
Claybrook, Judge
Rockingham County General
District Court
Judge of the General District Court
53 Court Square
Room 132 Harrisonburg, VA 22801 Phone: (540) 564-3130 Civil # 540-564-3135 or 540-564-3138 |
|
Fax: (540) 564-3096
Clerk Ms Teresa Lynn Brown email: tbrown@courts.state.va.us |
The Honorable H. David
O'Donnell, Judge
Rockingham County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court
Judge of the Juvenile and Domestic
Relations Court
53 Court Square, 2nd Floor; Room
214
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801 Phone: (540) 564-3370 Fax: (540) 563-3392 |
*Pablo Cuevas, Chairman of
CCJB
Rockingham County Board of Supervisors
Rockingham County Governing
Body
20 E. Gay St.
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
Phone: (540) 896-7889
|
*Ted Byrd, Vice Chairman of
CCJB
Mayor, City of Harrisonburg
City of Harrisonburg Governing
Body
345 S. Main Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Byrd@harrisonburgva.gov
|
Donald D. Driver, Jr., Director
Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Social Services
Department of Social Services
PO Box 809
Harrisonburg, VA 22803 P (540) 574-5100 F (540) 574-5127 E don.driver@dss.virginia.gov |
Chaz W. Evans-Haywood Clerk of Circuit Court
Rockingham County Circuit Court
Rockingham County Courthouse
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
clerkchaz@rockinghamcountyva.gov
Phone: 540-564-3111
Fax: 540-564-3127 |
Bryan Hutcheson, Sheriff
Rockingham County Sheriff's Department
Sheriff of Rockingham
County/Regional Jail Administrator
25 S. Liberty St.
Harrisonburg, VA 22801 P (540) 564-3838 F (540) 564-3865 E bhutcheson@rockinghamcountyva.gov |
Dr. Carol Fenn, Superintendent
Rockingham County Public Schools
Local Educator
Rockingham County Public Schools
100 Mt. Clinton Pike
Harrisonburg, VA 22802 P (540) 564-3230 F (540) 564-3241 E cfenn@rockingham.k12.va.us W rockingham.k12.va.us |
Dr. Scott R. Kizner,
Superintendent
Harrisonburg City Schools
Local Educator
Harrisonburg City Schools
One Court Square
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
P (540) 434-9916
F (540) 434-5196 |
Marsha L. Garst Attorney for the Commonwealth
Commonwealth's Attorney
53 Court Square
Harrisonburg, VA 22801 P (540) 564-3350 F (540) 433-9161 E mgarst@rockinghamcountyva.gov |
Chief Stephen Monticelli
Chief of Police, Harrisonburg
Police Department
Harrisonburg Chief of Police
101 North Main Street
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802
Non-Emergency 540-434-4436
|
*Kurt Hodgen, City Manager Harrisonburg City City Manager's Office, Room 201
City of Harrisonburg Manager/Executive 345 South Main St
|
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Kurt.Hodgen@harrisonburgva.gov
Anne Lewis - Assistant City Manager -
Anne.Lewis@harrisonburgva.gov
Kurt.Hodgen@harrisonburgva.gov
Anne Lewis - Assistant City Manager -
Anne.Lewis@harrisonburgva.gov
Louis K. Nagy, Esquire Public Defender/Criminal Defense 590 E. Market St.
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Phone: 540-315-8450 540-315-8450
Phone: 540-315-8450 540-315-8450
Monica Martin, Chief
Magistrate
26th Judicial District
26th Judicial District
Chief Magistrate of the 26th
Judicial District
53 Court Square, Suite 180
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
540-564-3847
*Joseph S. Paxton,
Administrator
Rockingham County
Rockingham County
Administrator/Executive
20 E. Gay St.
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
P (540) 564-3011
F (540) 564-3017
E jpaxton@rockinghamcountyva.gov
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
P (540) 564-3011
F (540) 564-3017
E jpaxton@rockinghamcountyva.gov
Lee Shifflett James Madison University Non-Emergency Telephone -
Chief of Police 540.568.6912
shifflla@jmu.edu
shifflla@jmu.edu
Ann Marie Freeman, CCJB Director, Rockingham- 540-564-3144
Staff Harrisonburg Court Services Unit 53 Court Sq Ste 175
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801-3700
amfreeman@rockinghamcountyva.gov
Staff Harrisonburg Court Services Unit 53 Court Sq Ste 175
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801-3700
amfreeman@rockinghamcountyva.gov
Lacy Whitmore
Director of Community Service
Board
1241 North Main St
540-434-1941
Fax:
Fax:
You can get involved by signing the petition at http://statlive.org/building-justice/petition.html as well as check this "Action Packet" link for more information. And please feel free to post links on social media and otherwise share this information with your friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment