09-05-1974 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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VIRGINIA: A special meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Chesterfield County, held at the Courthouse on September 5, 1974, at 3:00 p.m. Present: 'Mr. Irvin G. Horner, Chairman Mr. Leo Myers, Vice-Chairman Mr. J..Ruffin Apperson Mr. A. J. Krepela Mr. E. Merlin O'Neill Mr. M. W. Burnett, County Admin. Also Present: Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Jack Davis Lee O. Falwell Herbert Gill Fred Gray George Jones Morris Mason C. G. Manuel Oliver Rudy The meeting is called to order by Mr. Horner. He states the purpose of this meeting, by mutual consent of the Board and Mr. Jack Davis, is to discuss the matter in the press recently on the corrections problems. Mr. Horner introduces Mr. Davis and the Board. Mr. Horner states that the Board has no plans or format and gives Mr. Davis the floor to begin in any manner he thinks proper. · Mr. Davis states that he has no agenda either and he would prefer it to be a very informal meeting. Mr. Jones asks Mr. Davis to comment in reference to the Governor's statement of the previous evening as tO how far this decision has gone. Mr. Davis states that he will work that in. First, he states he would like to give the current and future picture on classification. He says that as of today and the past nine months the State has three calssification units. The Southampton Unit which is for the younger adults, ages 18-24, and for first offenders. He states that this unit is dormitory in style and can handle 40-50 persons at a time. The Penitentiary which handles long-term and/or multi-recidivists, is composed of single-cell units and can take care of 40-50 inmates. The State Farm would handle the remainder. The State Farm has one wing dedicated to receiving and classification. Those in receiving and classification do not mix with the prisoners serving terms. He states that the inmates there for receiving and classification purposes eat and sleep there with make-shift rooms adjacent. He states that this situation is fair but not good. The space for the testing, etc. is also not good. He states that the State does need a decent receiving and classification place. He adds also that the facility proposed for Louisa County will not be built. Since June or July the State has been looking for another site. He states that both money and time are very important. He adds that the proposed facility in Louisa would take three to four years to build and put into operation and the need is yesterday's need. They have looked at a number of places and the need is to be near clinical and professional authorities, so naturally, they had to look to a metropolitan community which is closest to Camp 13. This close proximity to Camp 13 was considered because this Unit has the capacity of holding 200 men in dormitory style, it was built one and one-half years ago and can hold 180-195 at a time. The.proposal being considered at this time is to build an addition to Camp 13 which would be housing individual cells and convert the present building to offices, administrative and testing spaces, etc. The addition would consist of approxi- mately 120 cells. Mr. Rudy inquires if this would be in addition to the present 200? Mr.· Davis states that they would move the present 200 out and make it dormitory in style. He states that they are considering the possibility of moving the Southampton receiving unit here but that it would still only have a maximum capacity of 170. He states that at the present time it is taking four to eight weeks to process a person through the classification program and that this is double what it should take. He states that three to four weeks should be adequate time and this could be done here He states that t-ey are looking to this end and that presently it cannot be accomplished because the proper facilities are not available. He states that there are two gOod reasons why the County should consider this: 1. there will be less inmates, and 2· in effect, this will be a maximum security unit because it will have no outside windows except to the two inside courtyards and it will have all the properties of maximum security according to one of the preliminary sketches. Mr. Burnett inquires as to how many guards are employed. Mr· Davis states that there are approximately 22-25 at this facility. Mr. Krepela inquires as to what Camp 13 is currently classified Mr. Davis states medium. Mr· Krepela inquires if escapes would be increased or decreased in comparison to the present facility.