THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408240004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
I am an inmate at Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk.
The cry of ``warehousing'' of inmates has been heard for years at the state level. Now it is happening at regional and city jails.
People put in jail and left to sit and ``do their time'' become more angry and more anti-social than when they went in. Effective educational and illiteracy programs must be put in place to effect the positive changes all of us want to see take place in people who need change the most.
Not programs that look good on paper or programs that look good to upper-level state government so jail funding will continue.
It seems today that with this ``warehousing'' attitude, these are the most important ``programs'' to have. We must have a dedicated effort from the State Corrections Department director, the system, the individual camp and institutions and the individual regional and city jails to provide the education and programs necessary to make real change possible.
As an inmate, I say that to have my days drag by with no programs available shows me that ``warehousing'' helps perpetuate the system. Many inmates like me are looking for education, training, an opportunity to make a change.
With the way things are looking for the near future, government and society are content to spend millions to just lock us up. Seems like a tremendous waste of money and a horrible waste of lives.
JOSEPH P. MILLER
Western Tidewater Regional Jail
Suffolk, Aug. 9, 1994 by CNB