In view of the increasing incidence of crime, the crowded dockets of the courts of the Commonwealth, particularly in urban areas, the alleged overcrowding of the penal institutions, recidivism, and allegations of the inadequacy of Virginia system of probation and parole, the General Assembly, in its Session of 1978, agreed to House Joint Resolution No. 36.

At its organizational meeting, the Joint Subcommittee elected Delegate Glasscock as Chairman. Numerous public hearings were held as well as business meetings, during which the joint subcommittee fully explored the matters assigned to it, and it now makes its report.

The Clerks of the House of Delegates and of the Senate furnished support for the work of the Joint Subcommittee. The Division of Legislative Services also furnished support and counsel to the Joint Subcommittee.

We are also indebted to the Honorable James B. Wilkinson, Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit, Robert G. Cabell, Jr., Esquire and Matthew N. Ott, Jr., of the Richmond defense bar, who, together with Aubrey M. Davis, Jr., Esquire, a member of the Subcommittee and a Commonwealth's Attorney, served as a special advisory committee on the desirability of establishing degrees of offenses.  

The Joint Subcommittee also expresses its appreciation to Professor Stephen Saltzburg, of the University of Virginia School of Law, Honorable Pleasant C. Shields, Chairman of the Virginia Parole Board, Mr. Bowen Ault, Supervisory Probation Officer, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and Dr. Jack M. Kress, Professor, Graduate School of Criminal Justice, State University of New York, New York.