THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9409300210
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
I applaud Del. Kenneth Melvin coming to the aid of the Hattonsville residents concerning the location of the proposed regional jail within their community.
(Related letter, Page 6)
I am deeply embarrassed by our City Council's shotgun barrel viewpoint of this proposed project.
It is most obvious that our council members lost complete control when they faced the thoughts of receiving $2 million for the sale of the proposed jail site, a major portion of the $59 million project construction cost being spent in Portsmouth, an annual fee of $250,000 in lieu of taxes, and, the assumption that the proposed 350 jobs would be reserved for Portsmouth residents caused our council to completely disregard the well-being and future of an entire community.
The odds favor an architectural firm, outside of the area, with an expertise in penal design and construction being awarded the design and supervisory contract. A building contract of this magnitude is going to generate fierce competition among major building firms, countrywide, with their own skilled employees and facilities being awarded the construction contract, and, we can be assured that the neighboring cities participating in this project will insist on a prorata share of the proposed employment level.
The concerns of the Hattonsville residents are very real. The proof that the atmosphere and environment around a penal institution is devastating can be readily substantiated. As far back as 40 years, the properties surrounding the old State Penitentiary in Richmond were slum areas, they still are today.
Let's take a look at our own City Jail in the middle of our Downtown business district. Can we consider it a tourist attraction? Does the flow of individuals being arrested and brought to our jail complex for arraignment, the steady stream of visitors to and from the inmates, and the large crowds standing, waiting, and moving in and out of the court rooms at the base of our jail complex on a daily basis cause our council members to consider our jail complex something to be proud of? If so, our tourism department should promote this wonderful asset.
I see a large sum of money being spent for the proposed regional jail without taking into consideration the anticipated increase in prison population because of a no-parole prison policy. Then, adding the projected deterioration of Hattonsville should provide ample cause for us to seek an alternate solution to the proposed Hattonsville regional jail site; there is a more practical solution.
There is a sparsely populated parcel of land bounded on the west by U.S. Route 460, the southern boundary of the city of Petersburg, the James River on the east, and the northern boundary of the City of Suffolk that contains about 1,080 square miles of forest, some working farms, a large number of non-working farms. For sure, adequate land can be acquired in the above area for less than $2 million and less the obligation to an annual payment of $250,000 in lieu of taxes just to meet the location requirements for a regional jail that would be easily accessible to all participating cites.
That our governor, the General Assembly and four neighboring cities have agreed to a regional jail, and, coupled with the stimulating effect of the General Assembly's agreement to fund a major portion of the proposed project, should cause us to look beyond our individual backyard fences.
Let's take the local politics out of our individual city's drug and crime problems and form a task force that would envelop all seven cities to work with the governor and the General Assembly to construct a regional jail, in the suggested area, in the shortest possible time frame with the following suggestions as a starter:
Let's not make the same errors that Texas made with its prison building program. Let's build a regional jail predicated on our projected needs for the year 2005 with a no-parole system in place.
Let's abolish the grand hotel concept that we are presently building into our jails and build a plain, no frills, secure penal institution that will press home the penalty for unacceptable behavior; no amenities, absolutely no news or programs from the outside world. Just work, education and training for a skill or trade.
Let's build an institution, with enough land, where the prisoners will be required to raise and produce most of the major elements of the institution's food requirements, and to perform all of the necessary maintenance and repairs that will be required by the institution as part of their skill/trade education.
Let's provide the necessary classrooms and require each prisoner, after their normal work hours, to attend classes to complete their GED, learn the theory and technical aspects of their skill/trade selection, and complete all courses in their rehabilitation program. Let's establish a policy where no prisoner will be released until his entire education, training and rehabilitation programs have been completed.
Any prisoner that becomes belligerent, aggressive, and/or uncooperative will be placed in an area away from the main prisoner body, in a constantly locked-in condition, and denied all privileges until they request to be mainstreamed into routine prison activity and demonstrate that their attitude has changed.
This approach might upset the U.S. Justice Department to the extent that would it initiate some foolish court action. I would urge our governor to exercise our state's sovereign rights and deliver the individual(s) in question to the federal government to do with as they please. However, the individual(s) will be warned that if they return to Virginia, they will be apprehended, their sentence will be doubled, and they will be required to serve the entire sentence.
Frank Harte
Dogwood Drive
Sept. 21, 1994 by CNB