"That is the most important
consideration," said Fahey, a former federal prosecutor from Arlington.
"The board always looks at all the factors," she said, but
those who have committed brutal crimes will not find it easy to overcome
their own history. It is a balancing with the crime."
Board members do indeed make their decisions individually.
Each member votes yes or no, then passes the case onto another member,
until the case gets three votes either way. (This is why pleading your
case to a single board member may not be enough. That member may never
see the case.)
There are manuals, recommendations and an experienced staff
to assist, but the decisions are made by the members, and they are "a tremendous
weight," said Fahey. |
The happiness of families,
the nightmares of victims and the safety of the rest of us are all at stake.
On the Net:
Virginia Parole Board:
www.vadoc.state.va.us/vpb/
| Q: I met with former Del. Jackie Stump,
who is now on the Virginia Parole Board, to speak on the behalf of a prisoner
who has been incarcerated for 25 years. If I understood him correctly,
he said that when a prisoner "comes up" for parole, the five Parole Board
members do not meet and discuss the case, but rather each is given a sheaf
od papers to read and they then cast their vote via Internet. What assurance
does a prisoner have that his or her exemplary behavior in prison is even
noted by the Parole Board Members?
- James and Maryanne
Davidson, Rocky Gap
A: Yes, the parole board considers an inmate's "good behavior"
which is part of what they call "institutional adjustment."
However, board Chairwoman Helen Fahey told me that there are a lot
of other factors.
The five members of the board also consider what they heard from
people who addressed the board in person.
These might include the inmate's friends and family or even the victim.
The board will also weigh an inmate's age, health and the amount
of time served. They may want to know if an inmate can get a job once released
or if there's family support waiting.
But one thing looms over all of these: the severity of the crime. |
|
