THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 26, 1994 TAG: 9406240208
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAULA LEARY
DATELINE: 940626 LENGTH: Long
For those citizens who are not familiar with the issue, and there are many, the city of Chesapeake is proposing to build a minimum security detention facility for 96 work-release prisoners at a site just behind the City Garage on Greenbrier Parkway. The new City Jail Annex will be able to expand to accommodate up to 200 work-release prisoners. I wouldn't call a 200-bed prison facility within a two-minute walking distance of the Greenwood development, a five-minute walking distance of the Wedgewood Estates, Norcova and Wyngate developments, and a 10-minute walking distance of Hunningdon Woods, Hunningdon Lakes and Emerald Green developments as nothing.
{REST} Several representatives of the above mentioned communities and area businesses spoke at a City Council meeting against the construction of the jail annex in Greenbrier. Since we became aware of the city's intentions, we have gathered approximately 800 signatures petitioning the City Council to reconsider this proposal and find another site for the jail. I would say that is more than a handful of residents.
On June 2, the Wedgewood Estate Homeowners Association held a meeting with a representative of the Sheriff's Department, Maj. David Newby, to gather more information on the jail annex and the work-release program and the reasoning behind the proposal to locate the jail annex in Greenbrier.
The editorial staff of The Clipper thinks the location of the jail annex is a great idea. After all, there's already a state prison on Greenbrier Parkway. However, the area residents believe that the city should be putting pressure on the state of Virginia to close that 40-year-old facility. It is an eyesore in the middle of a beautifully planned community. The land on which it sits is highly valued and could be used for any number of projects that would bring revenue into the city. In the last decade, the state has considered closing that facility several times. They lack the proper motivation. We believe the city should provide it.
Another reason why the Greenbrier location looks so good to the city is that the city already owns the land. Well, the city also owns the land in Great Bridge where these inmates currently reside, and they are in the process of expanding that facility. Instead of spreading the jail around, why doesn't the city just add another 96 beds to the ongoing expansion in Great Bridge? The land in Greenbrier could then be developed commercially bringing more tax dollars into the city treasury.
The third reason why the Greenbrier location seems right to the sheriff's department and city administration is that it's close to where the inmates work. A number of those prisoners work at the City Garage and cut the grass at the City Park and along Greenbrier Parkway. Building the jail annex in Greenbrier cuts down their commuting time. As it is now, a Sheriff's Department van picks them up at the jail in Great Bridge and has to drive them all the way over to Greenbrier, a real bear of a commute, especially when the bridge is open. Then the length of the commute goes from 10 minutes to 20 minutes. It's a wonder the inmates tolerate this difficult commute and don't riot in the van for better working conditions while waiting for the bridge to close. Of course, the inmates also cut grass and pick up litter and engage in other kinds of occupations all over the city. So what's the difference if the Sheriff's Department has to transport them from Greenbrier or Great Bridge or anywhere else in Chesapeake? Still, the Sheriff's Department claims that the relocation of these inmates to a facility in Greenbrier will save them time and money on the commute. Well, there are good ways and bad ways for the city to save money.
Chesapeake is a big place with much undeveloped land. Surely, the city administrators can come up with a location for the jail annex that will be less likely to adversely affect the surrounding community.
At the Wedgewood Estates Homeowners meeting, Maj. Newby said, and this is a quote, ``These guys aren't real criminals. They are just like you and me, only we haven't been caught yet.'' Those in attendance replied with a resounding, ``No!'' I find this statement to be insulting to all the law-abiding citizens of Chesapeake and hope this is Maj. Newby's personal opinion and does not reflect the general attitude of the Sheriff's Department.
We, as citizens, are well aware that our judicial system is lenient and compassionate and that it takes quite a few non-violent convictions before a judge will decide to place a person in confinement. We also know that anyone arrested for one crime has more than likely committed many others that went undetected.
The Sheriff's Department would like the residents of Greenbrier to believe that we are under no threat from the violent offenders carefully selected. Well, non-violent criminals do not commit victimless crimes. At some time, we have all been their victims. Their crimes leave us feeling angry and vulnerable and under great psychological stress.
The person who breaks into your home is violent. The person who steals or vandalizes your car is violent. The person who sells drugs is violent. The person who continues to drive drunk after the first offense is violent. The person who refused to pay child support despite a court order is committing a violence against his or her own children.
These are the types of people in the work-release program. They are dropped off in the morning to cut grass or pick up litter in our communities and they are totally unsupervised. They are at the City Park, where our children play, unsupervised. Call me hysterical. I don't like the idea. I am tired of looking over my shoulder, worrying about the criminals that we don't know and the Sheriff's Department is busy looking to integrate the criminals we do know back into the heart of our community. I have no problem with a work-release program, but I feel that the inmates should be dressed in distinctive clothing, the work area should be clearly indicated, and a sheriff's deputy should always be there watching over their activities.
Maj. Newby, when questioned, admitted that the work-release inmates occasionally return to the facility drunk or in possession of marijuana and sometimes they wander away from where they are supposed to be. Of course, the Sheriff's Department goes out and finds them and brings them back. No big deal.
A great amount of our tax dollars goes into finding, prosecuting and incarcerating these people who cannot control themselves long enough to abide by the good laws of our society. If we are spending all this money to get these people out of our community, why on earth are our city administrators proposing to spend more of our tax dollars to bring them back in?
By building the City Jail Annex in the very heart of Greenbrier, the city administrators are selling us out. One prison is more than enough. The attractiveness of our well-planned community seems to have been enough to overcome that obvious flaw. We are flourishing here. But I fear the construction of another jail, and work-release facility at that, will mean prospective businesses will think twice before investing in our community, and prospective home purchasers will look elsewhere.
Once the jail is in Greenbrier there is no turning back. Citizens of the Greenbrier community, I urge you to call the City Council and tell them in no uncertain terms that you do not want this facility in your area. Stand up and be counted. The city administrators are paid with your tax dollars. Don't let them do this to us.
A vote against the City Jail Annex is a vote for the welfare of the Greenbrier community. A vote for the City Jail Annex is a vote for the convenience of the Sheriff's Department and the welfare of the criminals. We will be watching.
by CNB