The Joint Subcommittee on the Economic Productivity of the Prison Population and on Work Release Programs was authorized to conduct its study by Senate Joint Resolution No. 91 agreed to during the 1980 Session of the General Assembly. The study was continued during 1981 pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution No. 128 agreed to during the 1981 Session. Each of these resolutions may be found In the appendices to this report.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 91, 1980 requested that the Joint Subcommittee:

1. Study the manner in which prison labor ls employed to find ways in which such labor can be made more productive and remunerative for the purpose of reducing the cost which must be borne by the taxpayer for the maintenance of such prisoners in the state system of corrections.

2. Consider the way in which the employment of prison labor ls related to rehabilitation and to the system of probation and parole to assure that the demonstrated willingness of prisoners to work and to study Is closely related to the awarding of "good time" and the eligibility for probation and parole.

3. Study the expansion of the state-operated work release program and mechanisms to provide financial incentives to localities to establish or to expand existing local work release programs.

The Joint Subcommittee was further requested to review these matters by the 1981 Session of the legislature:

1. The laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States governing prison industries and the disposition of their products.

2. The impact on the private sector of expanding prison industries with designated products and the need for additional financial support by the Commonwealth of these industries in order for them to expand.

3. The utilization of work release and other work-related activities as they relate to probation and parole.

Appointed to serve on the Joint Subcommittee were: Stanley C. Walker of Norfolk, Chairman and William A. Truban of Woodstock, Vice Chairman from the Senate Committee on Finance; Frank W. Nolen of New Hope and Ray L ·Garland of Roanoke from the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services; Frank M. Slayton of South Boston and Alson B. Smith, Jr. of Winchester from the House Committee on Appropriations; and J. Samuel Glasscock of Suffolk, Joan S. Jones of Lynchburg, Robert C. Scott of Newport News and Norman Sisisky of Petersburg from the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions.