| This is a web site dedicated to truthfully informing the hard working
citizens of the state of Virginia about how their tax dollars are being
wasted by their representatives with warehousing of prisoners. The "tough
on crime" trend politicians have pushed at the general public for the last
two decades has assisted them in getting unnecessary legislation passed
into law and in the process, have overwhelmed the budget to the point of
near collapse. The "tough on crime" approach has not deterred crimes from
being committed. There are two major factors that contribute to crime rates
rising in recent years: 1) The failing of the economy, which produce new
criminals, and 2) The continuing and growing drug problem, where addicts
are committing crimes to feed their habits. The practice of building high
tech multi-million dollar prisons in rural areas are not going to lower
the crime rates; or locking up those in need of help with their drug problems
and mental disabilities to provide jobs to improve the unemployment rates
in these rural areas won't do it either. All this does is create the systemic
problem of overcrowding and great budgetary deficits that cause more harm
than good.
The abolition of the parole with the nationwide push for truth in sentencing
has done only one thing since being adopted, cost the taxpayers crucial
dollars that could have been spent on education and MediCare, or on preventative
and rehabilitative programs to stem the tide of bodies now being warehoused
in the unnecessary facilities that are draining the budget. Because
these concerns were not addressed early on due to the "punish them" mentality,
this has led to recidivism rates being so high. The same people going in
are now coming out because of funding being cut for rehabilitative programs
within prisons. Prisoners are now being warehoused until they are released;
in worse shape than they were when they came in. You as taxpayers, pay
your taxes to be safe; but also to have those returning to your neighborhoods
reformed in the effort to have decent individuals living next to you upon
their release. This is not happening. It is obvious that something is broken.
It is a sad state of affairs when your children can't go to school due
to high temperatures, but multi-million dollar climate controlled facilities
are going up so fast they can't hire the guards to work these facilities
due to the budgetary deficit of three plus billion dollars. Your tax dollars
are funding the construction of these facilities instead of being funneled
into the Virginia school system to prevent our children from coming to
prison in the first place. This cycle will continue until you say "no more!
- enough is enough!" But more importantly, are moved to action.
I urge you to visit Prisonwarehouse.com and learn more about the
issues raised in this flier, and more than that call for the total overhaul
of the current VADOC and their policies that continuously waste needed
tax dollars on the practice of prisoner warehousing. I urge you to contact
your legislators and representatives to voice your concerns as well. This
can be done by visiting http://PrisonWarehouse.com
and reading the "How to Help" section of the web site. The fact remains,
something must be done, and soon. No matter who you are, you count and
your voice must be heard. The spending of your tax dollar concerning public
safety is a hot issue not only in Virginia, but nation wide. If you are
going to be paying for it, you might as well have a voice in how your tax
dollars are being spent.
Virginia prison/prisoner Expenditures (as of 2008)
* DOC state correctional facilities have 33,500 incarcerated
to date.
* 5,360 offenders are held in county jails
* From FY 1998 to 2010, state general fund appropriations
for adult corrections will have increased almost 88% (for an
average annual rate of growth of 5.4% per year)
* Key spending drivers in DOC have included: Growth in the
inmate population, including opening eight new major
prisons with over 10,000 beds; Increased inmate
medical cost; Increased salary and benefit costs, including a special
salary increase and enhanced retirement benefits
for correctional staff
Impact Budget Reduction
* DOC is the largest state agency in the FTE employment, with
over 13,600 authorized positions, and a total budget
of $1.1 billion (from all funds) in Fiscal Year
2009
Statistical Source: James J. Stephen, BJS Statistician |