Urgent VDOC Reforms Proposed By An Inmate

From inside the Buckingham Correctional Center.

To whom this may concern:

Please consider promoting legislation or encouraging the Virginia Department of Corrections Director to see that the following are implemented by the VADOC.

1). Each offender housed within the VADOC should be permitted to possess a computer. A laptop or tablet style computer would be preferred as long as they are equipped with the following:

> a lighted standard keyboard that would allow offenders to learn typing skills
> standalone or WiFi capability from a secure server

2). Each offender should be allowed to purchase software programs such as Microsoft Office (Access, Excel, Paint, PowerPoint, Word Applications) as well as other preapproved educational applications and have them installed onto their personal computer by personal property officers which could be trained to install them.

3). Each offender should have 24-7 access to mandated legal materials (i.e., VADOC policies, Virginia's laws, court decisions, forms, federal decisions as well as VADOC and Institutional rules and procedures. This information should be connected to a wireless server so that offenders would have 24-7 access to research, prepare and print legal materials without tying up the law library to do research.

4). VADOC should update their policies to add the following at each facility:

> The ratio of law library computers to offenders should be 1:25. One computer for every twenty-five offenders
> The ratio of typewriters to offenders should be 1:100. One typewriter for every one hundred offenders
> a room should be provided which would comfortably hold all computers and typewriters
> each computer should be connected to a wireless server
> each computer should have Microsoft Office with Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
> VADOC policies and procedures should be added to each computer for easy research and printing

5). Each offender should be allowed to print their legal materials from their personal computer to the institutional law library through a wireless server.

Additionally, offenders should be allowed to print their non legal materials from their personal computer to the institutional mailroom through a server. This would allow the mailroom the capability also to scan each offender's mail into their computer. Currently, offenders do not receive any mail directly from society. Each piece of mail is photocopied in black and white and the original is destroyed. This includes photographs and cards.

If VADOC facilities are going to continue photocopying each offender's incoming mail then they should be required to use colored copiers when photographs or cards are received. Black and white photocopying of photographs and cards are so insensitive. They do not have the same effect as colored photographs and cards.

6). Each VADOC facility should allow each offender through their case manager to scan their legal and personal materials into their personal computer. 

By allowing this, it would allow each offender to get rid of excess paper materials which could be fire hazards and attracts insects (i.e., ants, coach roaches, silverfish, slugs, spiders, and etc.) to hide within or underneath.

7). Each VADOC facility should create and start a program that would teach each offender some sort of computer programming language. Maybe Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). This is an occupation in which each offender could use on their own in the modern day society.

8). Each offender shall be provided education and job skills which should be continued into society. This would mean that for-profit companies must operate with VADOC facilities. Each offender that is not eligible to be a returning citizen should be relocated the newer high security facilities that are required to house them and adequate jobs must be provided so that each offender will be employed daily. No educational or vocational classes should be provided for them.

9). Each VADOC facility with community showers should redesign each one into a single stall shower and each should have a curtain so that an offenders nudity is not viewed below his/her shoulders. Each offender shall be required to shower behind a nontransparent curtain alone and each shower wall should be at least seven feet in height.

Charles E. Zellers, Sr.
DOC No. 1036758
Buckingham Correctional Center - N3-301 Top
Post Office Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936