THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 11, 1995 TAG: 9502110063
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
While Governor George Allen is juking around the country attaining national prominence, the state's prison system is deteriorating under the impact of his hand-picked hard-nosed parole board.
The five-member board is extremely close-fisted in granting paroles to nonviolent offenders.
Because of the begrudging board, our prisons bulge. Fourteen sheriffs are suing the state for relief.
The alarming overcrowding was disclosed in last week's story by The Virginian-Pilot's Laura LaFay.
``It's like damming up a river,'' said Patrick McManus, who monitors for the federal government the overcrowding in four states.
``And it's just going to back up.'' When the prisons get full, they'll back up in the local jails. It's going to cost Virginia taxpayers a ton of money, and, after it's all done, Virginia isn't going to be any safer.''
Sen. Joseph Gartlan says Allen and GOP legislators are so intent on appearing tough on crime ``they're virtually unmindful of the consequences of what they're doing.''
Gartlan estimated 3,000 prisoners are crowded in jails at high expense, creating constitutional as well as security problems.
``That's the price they don't want to hear about,'' he said. ``Lock 'em up. Keep 'em locked up. Crowd 'em up, and don't worry about it.''
``Sometime I think it will take an Attica to make them realize what they've done. And that would be a terrible price.''
Ah well, it would land Gov. Allen a second interview on the G. Gordon Liddy talk show and lure a horde of media to Virginia.
But it might end any chance of his getting on a presidential ticket. He ought to relax. Just a good, solid, humane job as governor would win an appreciative audience grown suspicious of grandstanding.
As able and agile a man as Allen's predecessor erred in pressing too hard when easy does it better.
No one questions long sentences for violent offenders. But overly lengthy terms for mild offenders not only costs in their upkeep; the state also has to help support families while the breadwinners are behind bars.
A new law abolished parole for those convicted of crimes committed after Jan. 1. Under the old parole system, they would have received heavy sentences to be reduced by the board. But under Allen's not-yet-imposed ``truth in sentencing'' policy, they will serve in full somewhat shorter sentences.
The parole board still rules 20,000 prisoners already behind bars. But it, in effect, is applying to many of them the new rules of no-parole without the relief of truth in sentencing.
Thus the pile-up in prisons. And thus the injustice to thousands, whose plight LaFay conveyed.
If the governor is sincere, he will instruct the board that justice in sentencing should apply not only to those who will be locked up under the new rules, but also to those who were locked up under the old ones.
He also should revoke the cloak of the board's star chamber proceedings. by CNB