Introduced Version
Senate Resolution 25 History
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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 25
(By Senators Laird, Jenkins, Unger, Chafin, Oliverio, Williams,
Yost, Minard, Kessler, Foster, Stollings, McCabe and Prezioso)
Designating February 16, 2010, as "Corrections Day".
Whereas, The adult correctional population continues to expand
and it is important for agency representatives and policy-makers to
appreciate the nature and magnitude of the growth; and
Whereas, West Virginia was ranked 34th in the nation in 2007,
with an incarceration rate of 333 per 100,000 residents, and
between 2000 and 2006, West Virginia had the fastest growing prison
population in the nation; and
Whereas, Commitments to the Division of Corrections grew by
21.9% in 2007, resulting in 3,449 new inmates, and parole violators
comprised 14% of all new commitments in 2007; and
Whereas, In 2007, only 4.9% of all parole violators were
returning due to the commission of a new crime, and in 2006, 75.9%
of new admissions were for nonviolent offenses; and
Whereas, As of December 2007, West Virginia's correctional
population was almost two and one-half times its size in 1995. In
2007, property offenders comprised the largest group of inmates
confined in the total prison population at 19.2% and between 2000
and 2004, 37.1% of inmates were released on parole compared to
51.5% between 2005 and 2007, so over half (54.8%) of all inmates released in 2007 were granted parole. Therefore, the parole grant
rates increased by 9.0% between 2006 and 2007; and
Whereas, West Virginia's correctional population is forecasted
to increase at an average annual growth rate of 5.6% over the next
decade and according to the forecast, the Division of Corrections
can expect to receive approximately 430 additional inmates per
year. Therefore, the correctional population is expected to reach
8,530 inmates in 2012 and 10,304 in 2017; and
Whereas, The information provided in this resolution will
assist public officials and agency representatives in planning for
the future and developing policies for the management of the West
Virginia correctional population as well as providing adequate pay,
benefits, and a safe secure workplace for the employees in the
correctional system; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby designates February 16, 2010, as
"Corrections Day"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Senate hereby recognizes the
exceptional service and commitment of the employees of the Division
of Corrections; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward
a copy of this resolution to the appropriate officials of the
Division of Corrections.
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