HD9 - Shock Incarceration
Executive Summary: The full Crime Commission met on October 17, 1989, and received the report of the subcommittee. After careful consideration, the findings and recommendations of the subcommittee were adopted by the full Commission. During the course of the study, the subcommittee met on five occasions, including one meeting held during a visit to the Thomas Correction Center (Shock Probation Facility) at Rembert, South Carolina. During the course of those meetings the subcommittee heard testimony from members of the law enforcement community including sheriffs , judges, and thee Connecticut Commissioner of Corrections, Mr. Larry Meachum, and was carefully apprised of the status, operation and effectiveness of existing programs in eight other states. A major purpose of the study was to determine whether or not a shock incarceration program should be instituted in Virginia. The subcommittee voted, after the tour of the South Carolina facility, to institute such a program, closely modeled after South Carolina's. The boot-camp program has been recommended to occupy the facility currently used for the Youthful Offender Program, located at the Southampton Youthful Offender Center. If the recommendation is put into effect, the cost per bed space in the boot-camp incarceration program is estimated by Corrections officials to be approximately the same as for the Youthful Offender Program. The savings results from the shorter period of stay for the boot-camp inmate (90 days) as compared to a year or longer. Thus the boot-camp program could effectively serve four times the number of offenders for the same cost of the current youthful offender program. The subcommittee recommended that the "Boot Camp Incarceration Act" be introduced as a pilot project to the 1990 session by Crime Commission members with the legislation to be effective January 1, 1991 and the program to sunset on July 1, 1995. The subcommittee further recommended that the Department of Corrections, Department of Correctional Education and the Parole Board submit their budgetary requirements to the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees prior to the 1990 session. Finally, the subcommittee recommended that these agencies develop plans based on guidelines for implementing provisions of the proposed legislation with an anticipated on-ling date of January 1,1991. The major components of the pilot program as approved by the subcommittee are as follows: A. Participants • Non-violent felony offenders without prior incarcerations • 18-24 years old • Physically and mentally healthy B. Eligibility • Voluntary participation • Diagnosis and evaluation of fitness by Department of Corrections and Parole Board prior to sentencing • May be removed for intractable behavior C. Sentencing • Term for years suspended if offender chooses boot camp probation • Suspended sentence and probation revoked if offender withdraws, is intractable, or violates court's terms D. Location • To be determined by Department of Corrections (Southampton projected for males) E. Capacity • 100 males • Females pending results of pilot program F. Program Length • 90 days or more (to be established by Department of Corrections) G. Special Program Elements • Military drill, ceremony, physical wellness training • Physical labor • Drug/Alcohol Education • Adult Basic Education (ABE) • General Equivalency Diploma (GED) • Vocational Assessment In summary, the pilot program is designed to begin on January 1, 1991 and to sunset on July 1, 1995. The Department of Corrections would have the responsibility to design the program, train employees, and decide its location, and to report periodically to the Governor and the General Assembly. |
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