Piedmont Court Services

PURPOSE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROGRAM:

An Alternative to Incarceration

People expect government to protect them. They do not want government proposing programs that put criminals back into their communities. The pressure they can bring to bear against these programs is difficult to overcome. People often assume that public protection means prison and that anything less than complete incarceration for all criminals will endanger public safety. However, successful intermediate sanctions programs have been adopted in many communities for non-violent offenders. With the growth of the Commonwealth of Virginia's prison population, benefits are derived from having a community-based corrections program such as is authorized by the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act (CCCA). Non-violent offenders are placed under local probation supervision to comply with other court-ordered obligations. Under local probation supervision, offenders are seen every other week by program staff. Home residence and employment verifications are made each calendar quarter. Offenders fulfill obligations such as restitution payments, random drug testing, performance of community service and counseling, as deemed necessary.

The two most recent prisons constructed in 2007 required an average appropriation of $71,000.000., and each facility provided 1,024 Level 3 medium security beds for an average construction cost of $69,225.94 per bed. The average cost per inmate in a state institution is $22,830. By using the alternative sentencing option of diverting non-violent offenders into community-based probation program, costly beds can be saved for the violent and repeat offenders who also, can be kept incarcerated longer. With the demand for more prisons and for violent offenders to serve significantly longer time in prison, educating the public about the alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders is our obligation. It is people's perception of their personal safety as well as allocation of their hard earned money that must be addressed. An explanation of the costs savings to taxpayers of this alternative sentencing option should enhance the public's support of alternative sanctions that still protect their personal safety. These costs savings are defined in Piedmont Court Services' annual report.

Punishing non-violent offenders, i.e., shoplifters, trespassers, drug users, forgers, in other meaningful ways, such as by diverting them to Piedmont Court Services will ensure more prison beds for violent and repeat offenders who pose a much greater risk to public safety. While there are various alternatives to incarceration, the offender is primarily under the control of the sentencing judge who has latitude in structuring punishment that truly fits both the crime and the criminal. Alternative sanctions offer offenders the opportunity to become productive citizens and abstain from criminal behavior. Comprehensive Community Corrections Act (CCCA) programs are less costly than incarceration and offer local probation supervision, structure, services and a range of mandated obligations for participating offenders - such as employment referral, vocational training, community service, restitution to victims, random drug testing, substance abuse treatment and mental health and domestic relations counseling. An evaluation, screening, assessment or needs assessment is part of the intake process, and Probation Officers develop specific intervention strategies based on the offenders’ needs and arrange for mandatory referrals in high-need areas, e.g. drug or alcohol abuse.

Compliance conditions, as mandated by the CCCA, are vigorously monitored and enforced. The supervision, which is guaranteed by Piedmont Court Services to all program participants, reduces the likelihood of those who successfully complete the program to be convicted of new offenses.

Managing the non-violent offender in the community is the priority of Piedmont Court Services. Another important component of CCCA services is the collection of restitution from the offender that is owed to the victim. For example, restitution for medical expenses of the victim or reimbursement for stolen items or for property damage is collected by Piedmont Court Services.

Per the Virginia Parole Board, the parole grant rate average on June 30, 2007 totaled 5 percent. Whit the abolition of parole, CCCA programs assist by supervising non-violent offenders in the community, leaving the limited bed space for a greater number of violent and repeat offenders.

As legislatively mandated, Piedmont Court Services continues to fulfill its purpose by allowing community involvement in responding to the problem of crime; by promoting efficiency and economy with the delivery of correctional services; by providing increased opportunities for offenders to make restitution to victims and to perform community service; by meeting the treatment needs, for substance abuse, mental health and domestic relations counseling, of certain offenders, and by providing post-sentencing alternatives for non-violent offenders with the goal of reducing the number of recidivists.

In closing, this CCCA program is a grantee of the Department of Criminal Justice Services and, in this geographical area, is the most cost effective and efficient resource that taxpayers can use to supervise non-violent offenders. In reference to cost efficiency, this office, which serves eight (8) counties, has no access to government vehicles. Personal vehicles are used for all official business. Only mileage at a rate of 44.5 cents/mile is reimbursed. This alone is a tremendous savings to taxpaying citizens. Also, an immense amount of money is saved for the taxpayers in the line item of salaries; that is, a CCCA Probation Officer’s beginning salary in this area is approximately $2,900 less than an Adult Probation and Parole Officer in this same geographical area.

By carefully utilizing the cost-efficient resource of this CCCA program, and implementing aggressive public education initiatives, we hold offenders accountable to the public and the legal system and hold ourselves accountable to the public, who is the customer of the state government. Of the various community corrections resources available, the taxpayer gets the "biggest bang for his buck" when non-violent offenders are supervised by this community corrections program, Piedmont Court Services.