Citing ongoing problems in the V.I. Bureau of Corrections, the V.I. Legislature approved a resolution on Tuesday requesting Gov. John deJongh Jr. ask BOC Director Julius Wilson to resign or to fire him.
"Almost every week we hear about something at the prison," said Sen. Kenneth Gittens, the sponsor of the nonbinding request. “It is obvious that things are going downhill.”
Problems at the prison date back many years, but a lack of progress and a spate of discouraging news, from the stabbing death of a prisoner last year and the arrest of a guard for trying to bring cocaine into the prison to scathing reports from the federal government, has put Wilson in senators’ sights.
For decades Golden Grove has operated under a 1986 federal consent decree requiring the territory’s government to bring the prison up to constitutional standards. Problems have persisted and, since 2003, the U.S. District Court for the Virgin Islands has issued several compliance orders directing the V.I. Bureau of Corrections to take specific security measures, hire new health care professionals, provide specific mental, medical and dental services, and eliminate specific fire and safety hazards, among other detailed directives.
An independent monitor, Kenneth Ray of Justice Services, issued a report in December 2013 saying "very little has improved" at Golden Grove over the course of 2013 and it "remains a dangerous and violent environment and is inadequately staffed, equipped, funded, maintained and operated to provide and consistently sustain environmental and operational conditions of inmate care and confinement that meet constitutional requirements."
During budget hearings in July, senators were angry that Wilson was not present and that Golden Grove Correctional Facility Warden Basil Richards appeared to testify. Richards said at the time that more funding was needed if conditions at the prison are to improve faster. Senators were also angry when Wilson testified in August without Richards and other top brass.
While no senators came to Wilson’s defense Tuesday, some, including Sens. Sammuel Sanes and Nereida "Nellie" Rivera-O’Reilly, said the problems at the prison date to long before Wilson’s tenure and would require funding to fix them that the territory does not have right now.
"I agree management must change but we have to look at the root of the problem," Sanes said.
O’Reilly said she was also dissatisfied with conditions at the prison but questioned whether a nonbinding resolution would be productive.
"If we want to make a difference, strike the position from the budget" and give the warden more power, she said. "Asking for his resignation sounds good, but does it really change the situation?" she said.
Others suggested the measure would at least draw attention to the problem and possibly spur action.
"The Legislature has a responsibility in overseeing what is happening," said Sen. Donald Cole, adding that if this resolution is passed, the governor doesn’t “have to fire anyone.”
“But I believe it is appropriate for the Legislature to say to the governor this needs a second look," Cole said.
Voting for the bill were Cole, Gittens, Sens. Craig Barshinger, Diane Capehart, Clifford Graham, Myron Jackson, Shawn-Michael Malone, Terrence "Positive" Nelson, Clarence Payne and Janette Millin Young. Voting no were O’Reilly, Sanes, Sens. Judi Buckley, Alicia "Chucky" Hansen and Tregenza Roach.
The Legislature unanimously passed another nonbinding resolution Tuesday, to ask the U.S. Congress to pass legislation before it now that would include the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories in the federal Supplemental Security Income program. SSI pays benefits to children and adults with disabilities and limited financial resources.
