PROPOSAL FOR POLICY CHANGES AT GREENSVILLE CORRECTIONAL CENTER

The Mission Statement of Greensville Correctional Center (GCC) as outlined on page 2 of its 2017-2018 Offender Orientation Manual (OOM), states as follows:

“Greensville Correctional Center will enhance the quality of life in the Commonwealth by improving public safety. We will accomplish this through reintegration of sentenced men in our custody and care by providing supervision and control, effective programs and re-entry services in a safe environment which fosters positive change and growth consistent with sound correctional principles, fiscal responsibility and situational standards.”

While officials at GCC may have been successful at “providing supervision and control,” they have failed at providing “effective programs and re-entry services” for the majority of the offenders confined here. Furthermore, officials at GCC have failed to create an “environment which fosters positive change and growth.” Consequently, instead of “improving public safety,” they unhealthy, inhumane, and counterproductive conditions that exist at GCC actually jeopardizes it and undermines the positive change and growth in those of us confined here.

GCC is a security level ⅔ facility which means it should be less restrictive, offer healthier food, allow more outside recreation, and facilitate easier access to programs and services than higher security level facilities. Below is a list of proposals which, if adopted and implemented by GCC, will help to create the type of environment that truly fosters positive change and growth, ensure our human and constitutional rights are respected and protected, and equip us with the tools to contribute to betterment of our communities once released, this improving public safety and “quality of lite” for all.

ABOLISH THE ARBITRARY USE OF GROUP PUNISHMENT OR ALLOW GROUP PETITIONS.

It is standard practice at GCC, as at all prisons in VA, to punish offenders as a group because of the alleged misbehavior of a small group of offenders. For example a small group of offenders were alleged to have been controlling who accessed the phones. So earlier this year GCC officials implemented a policy limiting all offenders to just give (5) phone calls a day. This type of group punishment when practiced as a tool of behavior modification, should be counterbalanced by allowing offenders to peaceably organize/circulate group complaints and petitions to redress the conditions of our confinement. It is a glaring contradiction--not to mention fundamentally unfair--to punish offenders as a group but deny us the opportunity, the right to peaceably organize and circulate group complaints and petitions to redress our grievances. Therefore we beseech you to either abolish the arbitrary use of group punishment as a behavior modification technique (which actually creates an unsafe environment by fostering hostility and aggression between offenders) or allow offenders to peaceably organize and circulate group petitions and complaints to redress our collective grievances.

PROVIDE HEALTHIER AND MORE NUTRITIOUS MEALS.

According to the GCC Offender Orientation Manual (OOM), page 27, offenders are supposed to be “served meals that are nutritiously adequate…”. However, at almost every meal, we are served a type of processed meat known to offenders (and GCC employees) as “meatrock.” Other meat products like fish, chicken, and turkey are rarely served. It is common knowledge that a diet high in processed meats increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other serious health problems. Additionally, offenders are routinely served food portions that are far below the portion sizes mandated by the standard and common Fare Master Menus which causes weight loss, malnourishment, and muscle atrophy. This all amounts to cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the 8th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Therefore we beseech you to begin providing offenders with healthier and more nutritious meals that are indispensable to the growth and development of healthy human beings.

PROVIDE EQUAL ACCESS TO ACADEMIC, VOCATIONAL, TREATMENT, AND WORK PROGRAMS. REGARDLESS OF THE SENTENCE BEING SERVED.

According to the GCC OOM, page 3, offenders are supposed to have “equal access to programs and work assignments.” However, offenders who are service Life or numerically lengthy sentences here at GCC are routinely passed over for enrollment in Career and Technical Education (CTE), Academic, and Treatment programs in favor of those with shorter sentences. This results in the majority of Lifers and those serving numerically lengthy sentences being on the waiting list for programs for years, leaving offenders with little to no mental stimulation or productive activity. This state of idleness and inactivity inevitably leads to the deterioration in mental functions. This runs counter to the notion of rehabilitation and GCC stated goals of creating an environment that “fosters positive change and growth.” Therefore we beseech you to allow all offenders, regardless of the sentence being served, full and equal access to CTE, Academic, and Treatment programs.

INCREASE WAGES FOR INCARCERATED WORKERS.

Offenders employed by the Virginia Correctional Enterprises (VCE) are paid an hourly wage of up to .80 cents. Bob-VCE workers are paid an hourly wage of .27 cents, .35 cents and .45 cents for unskilled, semiskilled, and skilled work, respectively. These are state-sanctioned slave wages as incarcerated workers are not considered “employees” per VA Code §40.1-28.9(B)(7). This law was created specifically to disqualify incarcerated workers from receiving the prevailing minimum wage of the state. The current slave wage does not allow incarcerated workers to support our families, make restitution to the victim(s) (or to the family of the victim(s)) of our crimes (which is the highest form of restorative justice and social restitution), or take care of ourselves in prison as commissary prices are ever-increasing. Therefore we beseech you to raise the wage of incarcerated workers to a level that will allow us to help support our families, make restitution to those wronged by our actions, and survive in prison.

ALLOW EASIER ACCESS TO THE VDOC OPERATING PROCEDURES.

According to the GCC OOM, page 68, “copies [of the VDOC Operating Procedures (OP)] “considered by the Warden or his designee to be appropriate for the offenders’ review are available in the law library or can be viewed by submitting a request to the Unit Supervisor or Counselor.” This policy makes it extremely difficult to access the OPs on a daily basis because requests to Unit Supervisors and Counselors to view a particular OP has, on numerous occasions, taken days and weeks to be processed. Furthermore, it has taken as long as two weeks to be scheduled for the law library to view the OPs. These long wait times operate as a hindrance for offenders needing to access a particular OP in a timely manner before filing a grievance or an appeal of a disciplinary conviction. Therefore we beseech you to store all unrestricted OPs in the control booths in the Housing Units where they can easily be accessed by offenders 7 days a week.

INSTALL MORE COMPUTERS IN THE LAW LIBRARY.

It wasn’t until ___ months ago that GCC installed computers in the law library that offenders could use to conduct their own legal research. However, one computer is not enough, because if four or more offenders are scheduled for the law library at one time and all of them need to use that one computer, they will have little to no time to research their case. The law library at Buckingham Correctional Center, a security level 3 facility, has more than 6 computers that offenders can use to research their own case. Sussex II State Prison, a security level 4 prison, has at least two. So, at the very least, GCC, a level 2/3 security facility, should have at least two computers in the law library for offender use in each cluster. Therefore we beseech you to install more computers in the law libraries at GCC that offenders can use to research their cases in a timely manner.

PROVIDE GREATER ACCESS TO CLEANING AND SANITATION SUPPLIES.

According to the GCC OOM, page 17, “Each offender must keep his cell … at a satisfactory level of cleanliness at all times.” However it is impossible to comply with this mandate because there are days when cleaning and sanitation supplies are not available. The lack of cleaning and sanitation supplies on a consistent basis creates a very unsanitary and unhealthy environment where diseases and viruses can fester. Therefore we beseech you to make cleaning and sanitation supplies available to offenders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

REDUCE WAIT TIMES FOR SICK CALL AND DENTAL CLEANING APPOINTMENTS.

It routinely takes a week or more for offenders to be seen by medical staff after submitting a sick call request and for a year or more to be seen by a dentist after submitting a request for a cleaning or fillings. These long wait times often result in the exacerbation of our illnesses, unnecessary suffering and preventable deaths, and the deterioration of oral health which puts us at risk of heart disease as gum disease has been linked to heart disease. Not providing offenders with timely and adequate medical and dental care constitutes cruel and unusual punishment proscribed by the 8th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Therefore we beseech you to reduce the wait time to 48 hours after a sick call request has been submitted and to 3 months after a dental request has been submitted for a routine cleaning and fillings.

IMPLEMENT THE POD AND INDIVIDUAL INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AS OUTLINED IN THE OFFENDER ORIENTATION MANUAL.

In 2017, Senior Warden Rodney Rounce introduced a detailed chart of a pod and individual incentive program that is partially listed on page 19 and 20 of the GCC OOM And fully listed in the attached pamphlet dated February 1, 2017 and titled “Greensville Correctional Center Offender Incentives.” This proposed Offender Incentives Program was met with immediate resistance from Lead Warden Tracy Ray who is pro-sanctions and anti anything that will lead to offenders having more privileges. As a result, Warden Younce’s proposed pod/individual incentive program was never implemented. Had it been so, cookouts, special events (e.g. talent shows/tournaments), extra in-pod gym recreation, etc. would have been allowed for pods assigned to levels 1 and 2 of the Pod Incentive Program and offenders assigned to the levels 1 and 2 of the Individual Incentive Program would have been allowed visits from loved ones on both Saturday and Sunday. The opportunity to receive extra privileges would have greatly reduced the number of disciplinary infractions that a pod and individual offenders receive--and reduce violence overall--creating a safer and more productive environment where all offenders are motivated to demonstrate good conduct. Because such an Incentive Program will help to create an environment which inspires “positive change and growth” in offenders, we beseech you to implement the Offender Incentives Program, as outlined in the attached pamphlet, within the next 90 days of the date of this proposal.

CEASE THE CRIMINALIZATION AND MISTREATMENT OF OUR VISITING LOVED ONES.

It has become common practice here at GCC (as well as at other prisons throughout the state) to treat prisoners’ visiting loved ones in a harsh manner as if they are criminals. Our visiting loved ones are disrespected by prison guards/staff by words and actions. They are refused entry under the false claim that their clothes are not in compliance with policy. They are denied contact visits simply because they are wearing a tampon during menstruation. They are made to endure long wait times before being allowed into the visiting room. (Here at GCC, the wait time averages one hour). They are routinely terrorized by drug-sniffing dogs (that often give false alerts resulting in a dehumanizing strip search) and harassed by prison guards and state troopers during organized road blocks. They are even coerced into strip searches by being told that if they do not consent to them, their visiting privileges will be permanently banned. (An example of coercive strip searches is the well-publicized incident involving an 8-year-old girl who was coerced into an illegal, non-consensual strip search while attempting to visit her father at the Buckingham Correctional Center on November 24, 2019.) All of this is done under the guise of trying to control the flow of drugs into this facility. Instead, it has functioned mainly to discourage our loved ones from coming back for future visits because the above experiences traumatized them. Because close social ties existing between prisoners and our loved ones play an integral role in helping us to adjust and maintain a positive attitude while in prison and in helping us to successfully reintegrate back into society, we beseech you to cease the criminalization and mistreatment of our visiting loved ones and create an environment where the bonds and social ties between prisoners and our visiting loved ones are strengthened, nurtured, and encouraged and not weakened, severed, and discouraged.

WE SUPPORT THESE POLICY PROPOSALS

We, the Undersigned concerned citizens, recognize and understand that there is a causal link between how well people are treated in prison and how well they will function in society once released. Therefore, we fully support the proposals set forth above by prisoner Uhuru B. Rowe #1131545 and urge you to adopt and implement them as soon as possible; not only for the benefit of the people incarcerated at Greensville Correctional Center but also for the overall health, safety, and well-being of the communities they will eventually be released to.