Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 24, 1994 TAG: 9408240067
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By MARGARET EDDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND NOTE: STRIP LENGTH: Medium
``What the people of Virginia and I will not tolerate is delay,'' Allen said as he accepted the 79-page document outlining his parole commission's plan for ending parole, lengthening prison sentences for violent offenders and making prisoners serve up to 85 percent of their time.
Responding to hints that some in the legislature's Democratic majority would like to postpone action beyond a special legislative session beginning Sept. 19, he admonished: ``They need to understand, there's folks watching.'' Virginians ``are sick and tired of this system. They want us to act.''
Allen will promote the plan at 9 tonight on Cable News Network's ``Larry King Live.''
The governor's tough talk came as two prominent Democratic lawmakers - Del. Glenn Croshaw of Virginia Beach and Sen. Virgil Goode of Rocky Mount - agreed to join two Republican lawmakers as chief sponsors of the legislation.
There were other signs of a broadening coalition of support. Despite opposition from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the two black members of Allen's parole commission - Richmond City Manager Robert Bobb and Virginia Supreme Court Justice Leroy Hassell - voiced strong support of the plan, and Democratic sheriffs from Culpeper and Sussex County testified on its behalf.
Most voices of opposition were muted as the parole commission wound up its work with a three-hour session that included political speeches, appearances by crime victims and a statistical slide show.
``My reaction is, there's no hope for anyone in prison,'' Jean Auldrigh, director of Virginia CURE (Citizens United for the Rehabilitations of Errants) said after the session. Auldrigh said she's concerned that people who've repented for their crimes would get no special consideration without parole, and that prisons would become more dangerous without the parole outlet.
Democratic Lt. Gov. Don Beyer commended the commission, but added that crime will not be stopped without a broad plan focusing on juvenile justice, law enforcement and stronger communities.
Noting that more than 18,000 babies were born to unwed teen-age mothers in Virginia last year, Beyer said: ``Parole reform alone will not prevent the next generation of Virginians from turning to crime.''
Del. James Almand, D-Arlington, who heads a legislative study group on parole and also sat on the Allen commission, said he believes his legislative group will have an alternative proposal when the assembly convenes. ``It's not that the legislature is opposed to the [Allen] plan,'' Almand said, suggesting that the governor's proposal will be the framework for any changes that are adopted.
He said his group ``wants to study the plan, make it better, make sure we can afford it.'' One concern, he said, is that the Allen commission plan might release some criminals too quickly.
The Allen proposal would shorten most sentences being handed out, but would increase by as much as seven times the amount of time actually being served.
State Sen. Stanley Walker, D-Norfolk, formerly head of the state crime commission, also warned that the commission's decision to rely heavily on double-bunking to house prisoners could be dangerous.
``If you're going to toughen things up, you're also going to have to beef up your security,'' Walker warned.
Memo: NOTE: A different version ran in the New River Valley edition.