The Budget’s Body Count

I stood in the pod and listened to WRIC Richmond 8News as they reported that VADOC plans to close four of its state facilities and assume control of its now only private-ran prison, Lawrenceville Correction Center, back from GEO Group. These plans are to take effect in 2024. Allegedly, this proposed course of action is in response to the staff shortages, the sharp spike in drug overdoses, and drug overdose related deaths.

What continues to elude me is that given all the reports and coverage, there is not one utterance of the apparent correlation between the increasingly lethal conditions befalling the incarcerated and Governor Youngkin’s budget that keeps the prison population unnecessarily high and extremely vulnerable to the effects of the deadly fentanyl epidemic.

It is evident that the ENTIRE world was ensnared in the chaos brought on by the Cornanvirus Pandemic. This should not exclude the fact that the immense adverse effects on the mental, physical, and emotional scapes of people did not fail to reach us here in prison. Reasonably, the struggles stood to endure by the public were undoubtedly intensified by the conditions of incarcerated living…

As sickness ravaged the public, the prison population suffered the amplified effects of disease associated with cramped living conditions. As the economy experienced joblessness, the prison experienced a lack of security staff and thus a harmful lapse in overall security, jeopardizing the health and safety of the entire incarcerated population.

The country, as a whole, is still enduring a mental health crisis. The only difference between the public and prison is the availability of professional psychiatric help for the incarcerated. Alongside the fact that prison, in itself, is a major mental stressor. Without proper counseling and a fertile, constructive environment, such mental stress is bound to convert into substance abuse. And in turn, a substance abuse habit has become a much more lethal coping mechanism in the midst of the fentanyl epidemic.

I guess the task of protecting the people, entrusted to our state leaders, doesn’t extend to the many human beings excessively incarcerated by a broken system. Or maybe state leadership, headed up by Governor Youngkin, could not properly assess these critical factors behind the very real blinders of polarized, partisan politics. In any case, the budget amendment could be seen as mere political maneuvering, but given its very lethal effects, the call to stay thousands of me and women to excessive prison sentences has proven deadly.

I have been incarcerated well before the abolishment of the death penalty in Virginia. That has not sheltered me from the continuous heart break time and time again having to witness the needless death of men whom where never expected to die in prison… Those whom just the simple support of home, family, or professional counseling could be here today.

Though many of us in prison are here because of the choices we’ve made, none of us remain here under the strength of our own volition. Excessive sentencing, political gaming, and human profiteering has held us captive in what is becoming an even greater deathtrap than ever before…

There is always a price for power. The price for political power in this instance, has been at the very affordable cost of human lives…

Love, Peace, and Power
Q.

Prompt:

Have you noticed the uptick in overdoses in your respective facility? How has this affected you and those closest to you?

Due to the budget amendment, a large number of people have been blocked from going home. Do you think that contributes to the uptick?

How can we as incarcerated people help with the drug crisis within the prisons?

What do you think the prime agents are that contribute to substance abuse in prison? And how can state leaders address this problem?

OPPOSING SCALES: THE WEIGHT OF VIRGINIA’S ENHANCED SENTENCE CREDITS & 2022 BUDGET AMENDMENT

By David Bomber

From the moment that Don Scott, Delegate for the 80th District of Virginia, introduced the Earned Sentence Credits bill in 2020, the atmosphere in this state changed. Suddenly, it seemed like criminal justice reform in Virginia was taking on real meaning, that change was finally coming about. In turn, this bill energized advocates and incarcerated folks alike, as well as their families, and further gave everyone involved a glimmer of hope. What fueled that fire even more was during that same year John Edwards, Senator for the 21st District of Virginia, introduced a bill to reinstate parole – an extraordinary measure considering that parole had been abolished in Virginia since July 1st, 1995. For all intents and purposes, it seemed like the lawmakers here in Virginia were finally getting it. Perhaps all the hard work that everyone had put in towards criminal justice reform was finally paying off.

Although the Earned Sentence Credits bill eventually passed, it turned out to only benefit some, while it dashed the hopes for many others. Initially the bill was introduced to provide incentives to gain an earlier release for any given prisoner who demonstrated good behavior and worked towards rehabilitating themselves. Unfortunately, that same bill was amended later on to exclude violations of certain offenses, such as malicious wounding, homicide, robbery, etc. This means that those affected by these exclusions can only earn the same rate of “good time” as they always have, a maximum of 4.5 sentence credits for each 30 days served (for those under the “new law”). The other crushing blow came that affected all the new law incarcerated folks as well as their families is when Edward’s bill to reinstate parole was first “tabled,” then eventually defeated. Perhaps lawmakers here in Virginia aren’t getting it after all – keeping folks locked up isn’t the answer. If anything it exacerbates the issue of mass incarceration.

What followed suit after that can only be characterized as mind boggling. In Governor Youngkin’s 2022 budget amendment, a provision was adopted that precluded anyone with “mixed charges” to benefit from the Earned Sentence Credits statue. In other words someone with convictions for something like grand larceny & malicious wounding doesn’t qualify for Earned Sentence Credits based solely on the malicious wounding. To put it fairly, this amounts than nothing more than a Draconian policy instituted by the Younkin administration. It is no wonder that the ACLU of Virginia has filed two separate lawsuits over these matters – one of which was recently won because the Earned Sentence Credits statue was misinterpreted and ultimately misapplied by the Virginia D.O.C. The other, which hasn’t been decided yet, addresses Youngkin’s policy on the ineligibility aspect of those with “mixed charges.”

If anyone isn’t surprised by these things, it is I. Convicted in 2011 of aggravated malicious wounding & second-degree murder, both the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Virginia’s determined that they could “not ascertain the legislative intent” and ultimately upheld my convictions – never mind that only ONE ACT was involved against the SAME VICTIM. From my perspective, it seems that Virginia has a track record of failing to interpret the statues properly, and further gives me the sense that I am being punished twice, unfairly I might add.

Similarly, the exclusions set forth in the Earned Sentence Credits & the 2022 Budget Amendment gives many incarcerated folks and their families a bleak outlook, particularly on criminal justice reform. As stressful and daunting as these matters are, now is not the time to roll over and pretend that these issues will go away on their own. The best thing that advocates, incarcerated folks, and their families can do to cope with these issues and bring about change is to take them on and get directly involved with Virginia’s lawmakers.

Thank you for taking time to read this. If you would like to get in contact with me directly, my contact info is enclosed below.

CONTACT INFO

To email me directly please visit http://www.jpay.com and submit Virginia ID #1130793 (Jpay is a service that the Virginia D.O.C. utilizes for prisoner communications with the public)(Note: this service does require users to purchase virtual stamps in order to send messages).

To follow my cause on Facebook:
@Justice4davidbomber

To join the conversation:
#freedavidbomber

To follow me on social media:
https://linktr.ee/freedavidbomber

For General Correspondence:
David Bomber #1130793
Nottoway Correctional Center
P.O. Box 488
Burkeville, Va. 23922

“Wellness in the Age of Political Uncertainty and Extremism”

By Danny Thomas

As Virginians, we are still reeling from the shocking loss of political fairness and equality with the election of Youngkin and Miyares. Even today, I find myself asking what if McCauliffe hadn’t commented that “parents don’t have a right to dictate their children’s education.” You could clearly see his momentum wane by the second – as he also recognized this and brought in the “big guns” like Obama and national figures in the education realm in an attempt to repair the damage accrued by this statement.

In any event, this constant shifting of the political winds has created angst in the hearts and minds of so many, particularly minorities of all kinds, especially the prisoner’s of Virginia and their families. Consider the fact that at least 500 men and women housed in Virginia D.O.C. were excited for the opportunity to be released from prison only to have this moment snatched away at the 11th hour. I can recall the anxiety I felt after serving 20 years in maximum security with the expectation that I’d be shipped to a medium, only to have it snatched away. I can only imagine what it feels like to expect your freedom then have it taken from you to serve political interests.

Consider the children expecting their parent to come home only to suffer the gravest of disappointment. It is difficult enough to explain to young children that you’re away from them because you did something that you shouldn’t have, then plan your reunion, then build their expectations only to find yourself letting them down again. Psychologically, the idea of defeat is ever present and the circumstances we live under will either nourish the defeat or starve it – unfortunately incarceration provides a full course meal for the defeatist mind.

It is astonishing that so many of us and our families are able to thrive in spite of the pervasive nature of ” learned helplessness.” The incarceration of family becomes a shared experience in which both suffer separately, but equally. Although visitation and phone calls serve as a type of “numbing agent” for the soul, both are left with a hollow place in their consciousness for which their is no immediate gratification, the only remedy requires freedom from the carceral restraints that bind us yet separate.

Our knowledge of the carceral system will ensure that we can experience a healthy existence in spite of the enormous obstacles we face. The wellness of our selves and family is predicated on just how resilient and resolute we prove to be. There is no magic pill or how to book to mimic, the wellness we seek is born from our recognition of “the open enemy,” the politician that has industrialized crime for the sake of creating jobs in their respective districts; the one who refuses to recognize that poverty is the mother of crime and not genetics as many of them would presume.

The sure strategy against this pathology is our education and advocacy against the system that seeks to break our will and define us as a valueless people. In the words of the immortal Nelson Mandela, “the attack of the wild beast cannot be averted with bare hands.”

In Struggle,

Danny Thomas, #1054249
Green Rock Correctional

What’s Free 2023!? – Voting.

Editor’s Note: What’s Free is a column that began in 2020, that asks the incarcerated community what freedom means to them. Inspired by the movement of enhanced earned sentence credits, we have raised the topic every year to keep the momentum alive as more brothers and sisters remain behind bars in the Virginia prison system. This year, Q has decided to talk about the freedom that comes with participating in our political system.

Virginia criminal justice reform has been shifting back in forth between a full, most needed overhaul and virtual crumbs to keep the majority of our loved ones seeking more from our state leaders. This year though, one hundred seats in the Virginia House of Representatives are up for reelection. This is where the power of the vote will have its greatest chance to reflect the voices of the incarcerated in the form of our loved ones active participation in the voting process.

When it comes to voting and change as a whole, all of us who have been dejected by the losses we’ve taken must be wary of a most destructive attitude – political skepticism – which only serves to keep the chains on the mind, soul, and in our case, the body.

It’s no secret: every stride gained in regards to who gets to vote in America, has come by way of combat. Normally, this form of combat has placed minorities in position of a proverbial David versus the very real Goliath of bigotry and racism. Continuous combat of this nature will leave a sense of dread and despair no matter how many times we have overcome…

For example, for the last 10 years, Virginia governors fought to ease the path to Restoration of ex-felons rights. In a single term, Glenn Youngkin secretly rolled back automatic expungement without ever addressing the public about the change. But why? What does Glenn Youngkin have to fear from a fuller version of the right to vote? He has to fear YOU!

Political skepticism is the biggest threat to change. Feeling like your vote doesn’t matter, your voice won’t change anything, that the vote is ‘rigged,’ are all thoughts that trap you in a form of political slavery where you willingly give up your fate to the hands of those who’ve already condemned you.

We’ve already heard the stories about how vicious southerners became when former slaves were granted the right to vote. Through those acts of brutality and intimidation, we can surmise how important and powerful the vote is in this country. Even in modern day – look at how Donald Trump played with the idea of the vote being rigged to charge up his base and turned them on the capitol.

Minorities often complain about how politicians are constantly pandering them – encouraging them to get out and vote for them – yet minorities are still skeptical about whether their vote even matters. The fact is that Democrats need a large portion of the minority vote to win the presidential office in any given year.

Let’s look at it this way: if the vote is real (which I most certainly believe it is), then not going out to vote has very real life-costing consequences. The greatest threat that must be overcome is the captive thinking of political skepticism.

What’s Free!? Freedom in this country looks like every single American voting in EVERY election – whether they’re an ex-felon, incarcerated, or free.

-Q

Prompt Questions (Thought Starters for the Incarcerated Population):

Can you identify examples of political skepticism in your every day life? Does it affect you? Why or why not?

How do you feel about the recent changes Govorner Youngkin made to the restoration of rights?

Being ineligible to vote yourself, how do you plan to be involved in the upcoming state elections for the Virginia General Assembly members?

How do you think that society can benefit from every American being able to vote?

TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING! by Jerry James

TALKING LOUD, but SAYING NOTHING!
TALKING LOUD, but SAYING NOTHING!
TALKING LOUD, but SAYING NOTHING!
TALKING LOUD, but SAYING NOTHING!

Every 2 years state Delegates run for election. They promise tax paying citizens they will do this and do that– TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

Some of them even tell you they believe in second chances any prison reform. TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

They get in front of cameras taking photos, talking to crowds, shaking hands. TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

Then they go behind closed doors having meeting after meeting not taking into consideration the outcome of their decisions, they make on people lives. TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

We say Black Lives Matter. We say White Lives Matter. We say Latino Lives Matter. We say ALL Lives Matter. But here we are 53 days and counting with the budget amendment to the enhanced sentence credit bill that affected a little over 8,000 inmates behind the prison walls. There are about 53% of Black men behind bars in VADOC. There are 38% White men behind bars in VADOC. There are about 2% Latino men behind bars in VADOC—and less than 1% of other nationalities behind bars in VADOC. TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

July 24^th there was a rally for what happened to the ESC for our loved ones to show up to have their voices heard. Sad to say only about 60 people showed up. TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

Families are we going to stop TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING and rally together to fix the injustice that was done to all of us! So that your loved ones can get the chance they have rightfully EARNED!

If you really care, you will get on board with prison reform advocates at the next rally coming up. STOP TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

To the national groups like NAACP, we need your support too because you say you stand for Black Lives Matter. You say you stand for injustice to our people! STOP TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING!

There are many behind bars for some 15+ years that’s spent time rehabilitating ourselves, taking programs, remaining infraction free and maintaining employment. We are not the men/women we use to be–at least some of us are not. Why penalize us for the violent crime that is still happening in VA today. We want to help make a difference and join forces with the community, advocate groups and law enforcement to make change happen.

I say to you today, “You without sin cast the first stone!” Let’s put an end to TALKING LOUD but SAYING NOTHING and start TALKING LOUD and DOING SOMETHING!

Written by Jerry L. James, #1157844
Brilliance Coordinator @ Deerfield Correctional Center