FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2022

Report Released This Morning:
Lawrenceville Correctional Center, For-Profit Prison Run Amok

Details of the extent of the mismanagement and violations committed by The GEO Group, Inc.


Richmond, Va – Today, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy released its new report, Lawrenceville Correctional Center: For-Profit Prison Run Amok, and called upon the Department of Corrections to take over management of the prison. The report, prepared by Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP), with special assistance from Social Action Linking Together (SALT), is the result of a months-long investigation into the egregious human rights violations reportedly taking place at Lawrenceville Correctional Center (LVCC) under the mismanagement of billion-dollar for-profit corporation, The GEO Group.

“When we heard that people incarcerated in Lawrenceville were not getting enough food to eat, we were shocked and began investigating,” said Salim Khalfani, VICPP’s criminal justice reform organizer.

This report is the result of many conversations with people who are or have been incarcerated at LVCC, worked at LVCC, and their family members. The report also details The GEO Group’s political contributions to Virginia legislators who serve on important committees or those serving in leadership positions, ongoing citations for understaffing violations, wage theft reports, what it would cost to transfer operation of LVCC back to the state, and more.

The report recommends:

  • The Virginia Department of Corrections should NOT renew the contract with The GEO Group when it ends July 31, 2023 and should make plans to take over management.
  • The Virginia Department of Corrections should seek to rehire the currently employed front-line staff.
  • The General Assembly should allocate the financial resources required for VADOC to take over management of the facility and staff it adequately to assure the safety of all.

“The cruelty being experienced by individuals incarcerated at LVCC and the waste of Virginia taxpayer money has to end,” said John Horejsi, Founder and Coordinator of Social Action Linking Together (SALT). “Virginia’s experiment with for-profit prison management has been a total failure.”

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RESOURCES: 

Report: Lawrenceville Correctional Center, For-Profit Prison Run Amok

Link to Use our Automated System to Send VADOC Director an Email

VICPP News Release: 8 confirmed overdoses occurred in 24 hours at Lawrenceville Correctional Center – possibly 11 total.

Virginia Mercury article: Potential overdoses, death at privately run Lawrenceville prison spur state investigation

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates social, racial, and economic justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer, and action. VICPP is a non-partisan coalition of 750 faith communities working for a more just society.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

King Salim Khalfani
Criminal Justice Reform Organizer
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
Salim@virginiainterfaithcenter.org
804-821-1989

Ayesha Taylor
Director of Communications
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
AyeshaGT@virginiainterfaithcenter.org
804-719-1218