
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 27, 1994                   TAG: 9405270102
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`TOWN MEETING' ON PAROLE PLANNED IN ROANOKE

Gov. George Allen and his commission to abolish parole will come to Roanoke on June 8 for a "town meeting."

"This will be an opportunity to get public input on the plan to abolish parole and to fine-tune the proposal," said Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary.

The meeting, one of three scheduled around the state as the commission works toward a special legislative session in September, will be held at 7 p.m. June 8 in Whitman Auditorium at Virginia Western Community College.

Those interested in speaking must sign up in advance by contacting the state Office of Public Safety at (804)786-5351.

The Commission on Parole Abolition and Sentencing Reform, created by Allen this year to follow through on the centerpiece issue of his campaign, has been meeting in Richmond to hear testimony from state officials and criminal justice experts.

The town meetings are envisioned as more of an "open discussion" than a public hearing, Stroupe said.

Allen and commission members will present an overview of the proposal before taking questions. "We want it to be an open dialogue between the people who attend and the governor and commission members," Stroupe said.

Other town meetings are scheduled for Thursday in Alexandria and June 15 in Portsmouth. Citizens will be asked to comment on a plan that includes:

Abolishing mandatory and discretionary parole in Virginia.

Increasing prison sentences for violent criminals, with a special emphasis on repeat offenders.

Diverting nonviolent offenders to alternative forms of incarceration to free up prison space for violent offenders.

Committing funds to build new prisons that will be required by the plan.

A second set of meetings will be held shortly before a special General Assembly session is convened in September to consider Allen's proposal.

Although the town meeting concept has been popularized recently by President Clinton, Stroupe emphasized that Allen first used the forums when he was a member of Congress.

"This is a good, genuine Virginia town meeting," he said.

by CNB