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| Red Onion State Prison was the first
of two supermaximum security prisons to open in Virginia in
the past year.
Intended to hold the state's most dangerous inmates, Red Onion -- and
its twin, Wallens Ridge
State prison -- restrict inmate movement and activities to a far greater
extent than in maximum
security facilities.
Of the nearly 1,000 inmates there, some two-thirds (i.e., those in the general population) were confined in their cells twenty or more hours a day when the facility first opened in August, 1998. Most general population inmates have no opportunities for vocational, educational or skills development activities. There are no group religious services. The 300 or so inmates in segregation at Red Onion are confined in their cells twenty-four hours a day with one hour of out of cell exercise with other inmates five days a week. One of Human Rights Watch's principal concerns about Red Onion and Wallens Ridge is the apparent determination of the VDOC to fill these two prisons even though their capacity exceeds the state's needs. No prisoners should be subjected to more restrictive conditions than is reasonably necessary for safe and secure confinement. Yet in Virginia, inmates who do not pose serious security or safety risks and who have not engaged in assaultive or dangerous behavior while incarcerated are being assigned to supermax facilities. The use-of-force policies at Red Onion and Wallens Ridge are also cause for concern. Inmates are fired upon with nonlethal "stinger rounds" of rubber pellets for behavior that does not pose serious or imminent risk of harm to anyone. Staff have used electronic stun devices on inmates who are already under control of staff, in handcuffs or in their cells. The HRW report on Red Onion received widespread press coverage in Virginia. Shortly after Human Rights Watch published its report on Red Onion, the Virginia Department of Corrections revised the general population daily schedule; they are now out of their cells eight hours a day during the week. Legislators have insisted that the Virginia Department of Corrections publicly account for its supermax policies and practices. The VDOC was obliged to issue a statement -- albeit one containing numerous misleading assertions -- about Red Onion to legislators. The Virginia Crime Commission also addressed Red Onion at its June 30th meeting. The head of the VDOC attended the meeting, and was confronted with pointed questions from commission members and an HRW representative. The Virginia chapter of the national grassroots organization Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errance (CURE) also presented their concerns about abuses at Red Onion. What you can do: If you live in Virginia, you can write Governor Jim Gilmore and urge him to establish an independent commission to examine use-of-force policies at Red Onion. You can also write Virginia state legislators and urge them to ensure that the Virginia Department of Corrections does not subject inmates to more restrictive conditions than is reasonably necessary for their safe, secure, and humane confinement. Governor Gilmore's office has an official webpage for people to write to him. His mailing address is: The Honorable James S. Gilmore,III
The Virginia Legislature website is a useful resource for state residents who want to find out how to contact their representative. |
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