Civil Commitment of SVP’s

What is an SVP?

A sexually violent predator (SVP) is someone convicted of a sexually violent crime who has a mental abnormality or personality disorder[citation needed] and who is likely to engage in sexual violence again if not confined in a secure facility. Some U.S. states have laws designating certain criminals as sexually violent predators, thus allowing these offenders to be held in state run in-custody mental institutions after their sentence is complete if they are adjudicated to be a risk to the public. The first sexually violent predator law in the U.S. was the "Community Protection Act of 1990" passed in the state of Washington.*

What is Civil Commitment?

Involuntary commitment is the practice of using legal means or forms as part of a mental health law to commit a person to a mental hospital, insane asylum or psychiatric ward against their will and/or over their protests. In some jurisdictions (e.g. India), it was once known as the "restraint of the insane". Now it is called "restraint of the mentally ill".*
As of 2009, 20 out of 50 U.S. States civilly commit those they deem to be SVP’s

Virginia’s Civil Commitment Program of persons found Sexually Violent Predators represents a close collaboration between:

The Department of Corrections
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
Respective Secretariats
In 2006, SVP qualifying crimes expanded from 4 to 28, increasing SVP-eligible inmates by about 350%. See 2009 Sexually Violent Predator Census Growth at the VCBR Power Point Presentation for more information.

In Virginia the Assessment Tool use to determine civil commitment is the Static 99. It is a ten question test. See Bulletin Board Postings #106 & #137

The DOC maintains database of all offenders with predicate sex offenses, subject to screening, who are within 10 months of their release date.

As of July 2006, the Static-99 is used in nearly all screenings, except females and offenders whose last sex offense was when they were under age 16. See 2009 Sexually Violent Predator Act and the Static 99 Screening Power Point Presentation for more information.

The Static 99 web-site states that a score of “6” is high risk.

As of 2009 the State of Virginia commits with a score of “4” and “5”. The 2009 Virginia Crime Commission and the Attorney General’s office is currently considering lower the score to a “3”.

Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators in Virginia, Submitted by

Angela Axselle and Jill Ryan, Assistant Attorney Generals Civil Commitment of
Sexually Violent Predators Section Office of Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, March 2007
http://www.govppa.org/newsletter/07_march/index_files/Page538.htm

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

Strategic Plan
http://vaperforms.virginia.gov/agencylevel/stratplan/spreport.cfm?AgencyCode= 720&ar=.&sa=.de.ba.mi.cu.pa.pr.fi.ob.
&salist=72035707

Virginia Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Biennium Budget Update and U.S. Department of Justice and the Commonwealth of Virginia Settlement Agreement Costs, February 6, 2012:
http://hac.virginia.gov/subcommittee/health_human_resources/files/02-06-12/DBHDS.pdf

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services: Item 319.A.3. – Progress Report on the Plan for the Housing of Additional Individuals Committed for Treatment at the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation (VCBR)

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services: Virginia’s Sexually Violent Predator Program and the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation Report to House Appropriations Committee January 14, 2011 : View PDF

Gilbane Development Company and Liberty Healthcare Corporation 2011 Bid to Run VCBR:
http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/documents/AdminBusiness/adm-PPEA-VCBR-11-01_Liberty-Gilbane.pdf
(Financial Data Removed)

Geo Care 2011 Bid to Run VCBR:
http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/documents/AdminBusiness/adm-PPEA-VCBR-11-01.pdf
(Financial Data Removed)

Office of Inspector General unexpected visit to VCBR in 2008:
http://www.oig.virginia.gov/documents/FR-VCBR144-169-08final011608w-respons032309.pdf

Books:

Justice Perverted: Sex Offense Law, Psychology, and Public Policy by Charles Patrick Ewing, 2011
Failure to Protect: America's Sexual Predator Laws and the Rise of the Preventive State by Eric S. Janus 2009
It's Okay We're Only Sex Offenders, by Alan Rigby 2008

Reports:

A Multi-State Recidivism Study Using Static-99R and Static-2002 Risk Scores and Tier Guidelines from the Adam Walsh Act by Kristen M. Zgoba, Michael Miner, Raymond Knight, Elizabeth Letourneau, Jill Levenson and David Thornton, November 2012:
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/240099.pdf

Throwing Away the Key: Has the Adam Walsh Act Lowered the Threshold for Sexually Violent Predator Commitment Too Far? By Tamara Rice Lave, September 2012:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2143976

Symposium: Preventative Detention: Sex Offender Exceptionalism and Preventive Detention by Corey Rayburn Yung, 2011:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2141350

Wrong Track for Savings: How Florida’s Prison Population Became a Runaway Train, and Why Better Policies, Not Private Prisons, Can Put the Brakes on Correctional Costs by Justice Policy Institute, February 2012: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/3495

Too Good to be True: Private Prisons in America by Cody Mason The Sentencing Project, January 2012 http://sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/inc_Too_Good_to_be_True.pdf

JLARC 2011 Civil Commitment Report:
Full report, 202 pages http://jlarc.virginia.gov/meetings/November11/SVP.pdf
Presentation, 90 slides http://jlarc.virginia.gov/meetings/November11/SVPbrf.pdf

Rethinking the Indefinite Detention of Sex Offenders by Fredrick E. Vars, May 2011:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1846809

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services Power Point Presentations
Census Growth: Sexually Violent Predator Program House Appropriations Committee,By James W. Stewart, III DBHDS Commissioner, September 20, 2010:
View PDF

Public Safety, Individual Liberty and Suspect Science: Future Dangerousness Assessments and Sex Offender Laws, by Melissa Hamilton, April 2010:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1 580016

Virginia Needs and Resources Assessment And State Plan for Sexual Violence Prevention: A Report of the Statewide Sexual Violence Prevention Planning Team, December 2009: http://www.vahealth.org/injury/sexualviolence/documents/2010/pdf/Virginia%20Sexual%20Violence%20Prevention%20State%20Plan.pdf

Virginia State Crime Commission Power Point Presentations 2009:

The $62 Million Question: Is Virginia’s New Center to House Sexually Violent Predators Money Well Spent? by Molly Geissenhainer, 2008:
http://lawreview.richmond.edu/the-62-million-question/

Understanding and Applying Virginia’s New Statutory Civil Commitment
Criteria by Bruce J. Cohen, Richard J. Bonnie, and John Monahan, 2008:
http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/OMH-MHReform/080603Criteria.pdf

Sexually Violent Predator Laws and the Liberal state: An Ominous Threat to Individual Liberty, by John Q. La Fond, 2008:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V7W-4S2VMB7-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1046478313&_rerunOrigin=google&_ acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=d510d15c418842e7b1a87990b7d50fa1

Sex Offender Treatment: Reconciling Criminal Justice Priorities and Therapeutic Goals by Mary Ann Farkas & Gale Miller, December 2008:
http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525/fsr.2008.21.2.78?journalCode=fsr

Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators, March 24, 2008:
http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/ncpca_statute_civil_committment_sexual_predator_08.pdf

The Logic of Sexually Violent Predator Status in the United States of America, by Daniel F. Montaldi, 2007:
http://www.sexual-offender-treatment.org/57.html

Sexual Violence: Virginia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Fact Sheet 2005-2007:
http://www.vahealth.org/Injury/sexualviolence/documents/2009/pdfs/SV_BRFSS%202005-2007.pdf

Involuntary Civil Commitment in Virginia: Impediments to Emergency Patient Care and Recommendations for Change Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, October 2007:
http://www.vacep.org/documents/InvoluntaryCommitmentRecommendationsFINAL.pdf

Civil Commitment Practices in Virginia: Perceptions, Attitudes, and Recommendations A Report for the Commission on Mental Health Law Reform, Commonwealth of Virginia, April 2007:
http://dls.state.va.us/GROUPS/HWI/meetings/090607/FocusGroup.pdf

Involuntary Civil Commitment in Virginia:
Impediments to Emergency Patient Care and Recommendations for Change Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, October 9, 2007:
http://www.vacep.org/documents/InvoluntaryCommitmentRecommendationsFINAL.pdf

CRS Report for Congress: Civil Commitment of Sexually Dangerous Persons, July 2007:
http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL34068_20070702.pdf

Civil Commitment Practices in Virginia
Perceptions, Attitudes, and Recommendations
A Report for the Commission on Mental Health Law Reform, Commonwealth of Virginia, April 2007:
http://dls.state.va.us/GROUPS/HWI/meetings/090607/FocusGroup.pdf

The Vilification of Sex Offenders: Do Laws Targeting Sex Offenders Increase Recidivism and Sexual Violence? 2006:
http://ccoso.org/Vilification.pdf

Loathing the Sinner, Medicalizing the Sin: Why Sexually Violent Predator Statutes are Unjust by John Douard, April 2006:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V7W-4MHPHP6-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1046498814&_rerunOrigin=google&_ acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=394edf71700b9b2be904d7052dca6494

CURE National Civil Commitment Newsletters:

CURE Civil Commitment Newsletter: July 2012, Volume 1: Issue 3
CURE Civil Commitment Newsletter: April 2012, Volume 1: Issue 2
CURE Civil Commitment Newsletter: January 2012, Volume 1: Issue 1

Articles:

Juvenile Sex Offenders: Locked Up for Life? October 1, 2012:
http://jjie.org/juvenile-sex-offenders-locked-up-for-life/94942

Fourth Circuit Finds Clearly Erroneous District Court Findings on Federal Sex Offender Civil Commitment, (Virginia) September 6, 2012:
US v. Wooden
http://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2012/09/fourth-circuit-finds-clearly-erronoues-district-court-findings-on-federal-sex-offender-civil-commitm.html

Prison Legal News: Federal Sex Offender Civil Commitment Process Under Fire, August 2012:
https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/(S(urefzq45xuudeq2xsngos1fx))/includes/_public/_issues/pln_2012/08pln12.pdf

Sex Criminals Facility Policies Survive Lawsuit (IL), August 29, 2012:
http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/08/29/49767.htm

Kansas Supremes Extend Right to Counsel to Sexually Violent Predators Proceeding, August 20, 2012:
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/conlaw/2012/08/kansas-supremes-extend-right-to-counsel-to-sexually-violent-predators-proceeding.html

Minnesota Must Change Sex Offender Program, Judge Orders, August 17, 2012:
A federal judge has ordered Minnesota to reform its system for civilly committing and confining paroled sex offenders to indefinite treatment, a controversial practice that has drawn international criticism because almost no one has gotten out.
http://www.startribune.com/local/166497216.html?page=1&c=y

Task Force to Examine Minn. Sex Offender Program, August 16, 2012:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Task-force-to-examine-Minn-sex-offender-program-3793152.php

Editorial: Privatizing Va. Facility is a Flawed Idea, August 5, 2012:
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/cdp-news/2012/aug/05/privatizing-va-facility-flawed-idea-ar-2110200/

Editorial: A Question of Motive on Civil Commitment, August 2, 2012:
The goal of Virginia's rehabilitation facility for sex offenders has become murky over the years as its problems have grown. http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/312266

Coalition Urges Va. Governor to Reject Bids to Privatize Facility for Violent Sex Offenders, July 30, 2012:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/coalition-urges-va-governor-to-reject-bids-to-privatize-facility-for-violent-sex-offenders/2012/07/30/gJQARWinKX_story.html
(To see a copy of the letter go to Bulletin Board Posting #542)

No Need for Civil Commitment Warning in Plea Bargain, July 24, 2012:
http://blogs.findlaw.com/second_circuit/2012/07/no-need-for-civil-commitment-warning-in-plea-bargain.html

Judge: Minn. Sex Offender Suit Can be Class Action, July 24, 2012:
http://www.startribune.com/local/163607246.html?refer=y

Episode: Due Process - "Sexual Predators: Civil Commitment", July 22, 2012:
http://sexoffenderresearch.blogspot.com/2012/07/due-process-sexual-predators-civil.html

Private Prison Company May Take Over Virginia Sex Offender Center, July 16, 2012:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/private-prisons-virginia-sex-offenders_n_1672526.html

SJC Rules on Refusal of SDP Treatment (MA), July 16, 2012:
http://masslawyersweekly.com/the-docket-blog/2012/07/16/sjc-rules-on-refusal-of-sdp-treatment/

Va. Approaches Decision on Privatizing Sex Offender Program, June 25, 2012:
GEO Group
http://americanindependent.com/216767/va-approaches-decision-on-privatizing-sex-offender-program

Prisoners at Federal Complex in N.C. Challenge Extended Confinement for Sex Crimes, May 21, 2012:
Sex-crime convicts are held beyond their release dates after the government determines they could still be dangerous
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/20/3255945/prisoners-challenge-extended-confinement.html

Justice Dept. Says it is Clearing Sex Predator Case Backlog, May 18, 2012:
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/05/justice-dept-says-it-is-clearing-sex-predator-case-backlog/1?csp=34news

Alzheimer’s Patients Can’t be Involuntarily Confined, Supreme Court Says (WI), May 18, 2012:
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/152041405.html#!page=1&pageSize=10&sort=newestfirst

Virginia Considers 2 Jail Firms with Sketchy Pasts, April 30, 2012:
GEO Group Inc and Liberty
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/apr/30/virginia-considers-2-jail-firms-with-sketchy-pasts/
(A MUST Read!)

Justice Dept Says Predator Law Covers Non-Violent Offenders, April 22, 2012:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-04-22/civil-commitment-sex-predators/54475674/1

America’s Expensive Sex Offenders, April 17, 2012:
Ballooning costs are making states rethink laws that would keep these criminals in civil detention for life
http://www.salon.com/2012/04/17/americas_expensive_sex_offenders/singleton/

Sexual Predators Rarely Committed Under Justice Program, March 19, 2012:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-13/dangerous-sexual-predators-detained/53621210/1

Out of Eden: When the Private Prison Bubble Bursts, February 22, 2012:
All over the US, small towns like Eden, desperate for jobs, have welcomed private prisons Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/feb/22/eden-private-prison-bubble-bursts

Virginia Wants Sex Offender Locked up Beyond Sentence, February 19, 2012:
http://hamptonroads.com/2012/02/virginia-wants-sex-offender-locked-beyond-sentence

Court: Consider 'Record as a Whole' in Confinement of Sexual Predators (Virginia), January 15, 2012:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/crime-punishment/2012/01/court-consider-record-whole-confinement-sexual-predators/2095161

Two Fourth Circuit Rulings on Civil Commitment of Sexually Dangerous Persons, January 10, 2012:
http://walshslaw.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/two-fourth-circuit-rulings-on-civil-commitment-of-sexually-dangerous-persons/

Rooftop Standoff with Noose-clad Sex Offenders Ends (Virginia), November 21, 2011:
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/11/virginia-sex-offenders-end-rooftop-standoff-nooses

Sex Offenders End Protest in Burkeville (Virginia), November 21, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/local-news/2011/nov/21/5/sex-offenders-climb-roof-protest-treatment-burkevi-ar-1474870/

Va Sex Offenders on Roof to Protest Treatment, November 21, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/21/sex-offenders-climb-roof-protest-treatment-burkevi-ar-1474870/

Some Va. Sex Offenders Held Long After Sentence Up, November 19, 2011:
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/some-va-sex-offenders-1232977.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501363_162-57328164/some-va-sex-offenders-held-long-after-sentence-up/
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/va-sex-offenders-held-long-sentence-14988899
http://www.salon.com/2011/11/19/some_va_sex_offenders_held_long_after_sentence_up/
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2016804000_apussexualpredatorslongwait.html
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/19/2509606/some-va-sex-offenders-held-long.html
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/19/4066532/some-va-sex-offenders-held-long.html
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Some-Va-sex-offenders-held-long-after-sentence-up-2277706.php

Sexual Predators Locked Up in Va., Monitored in Md. November 17, 2011:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/virginia/2011/11/sexual-predators-locked-va-monitored-md

Sex-Offender Center Studied (Virginia), November 15, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/15/tdmet01-sex-offender-center-studied-ar-1459729/

Va. Commission Says Sex Offenders' Risks are Overestimated, November 14, 2011:
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/11/va-commission-says-sex-offenders-risks-are-overestimated

Virginia’s Method of Evaluating Sex Offenders Flawed, Costly, November 14, 2011:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/14/virginias-method-of-evaluating-sex-offenders-flawe/

Flawed Screenings Pack Sex Offender Facility, JLARC Says (Virginia), November 14, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/14/flawed-screenings-pack-sex-offender-facility-jlarc-ar-1459053/

Expanding Private-Prison Industry Benefits From Weak Oversight Structure, November 2, 2011:
CCA and GEO Group
http://washingtonindependent.com/114814/expanding-private-prison-industry-benefits-from-weak-oversight-structure

Should Having Antisocial Personality Qualify A Rapist For SVP Commitment? by Allen Fances July 2011:
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/blog/couchincrisis/content/article/10168/1907150

State's Sexual Offender Program Under Review (Virginia), July 8, 2011:
http://www.leesburg2day.com/news/article_1a10cb9c-a9af-11e0-88ab-001cc4c03286.html
http://virginia.statehousenewsonline.com/4082/questions-linger-over-fate-of-state%e2%80%99s-sexual-violent-predator-program/

Editorial: Alternatives for Worst Offenders (Virginia), June 6, 2011:
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/alternatives-worst-offenders

Sex Offender Program is Running Out of Room (Virginia), June 5, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/news/2011/jun/05/tdmain01-sex-offender-program-is-running-out-of-ro-ar-1086043/

Va Could Privatize Sex Offender Commitment Program; Residents Threaten to Sue if Double Bunked (Virginia), May 26, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-news/2011/may/27/TDMET03-va-could-privatize-costly-sex-offender-pro-ar-1067768/ http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/26/2236647/va-could-privatize-costly-sex.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/crime-scene/post/va-considers-privatizing-sex-offender-program/2011/05/26/AGDvzxBH_blog.html http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/d4b081385cbe45a9a2e85ac9503c8ab1/VA-Sexual-Predators/

Sexual Predator Program Study Updates (Virginia), May 10, 2011:
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/Sexual_Predator_Program_Study_Updates_121599004.html?ref=004

Questions Mount as Virginia’s Sexual Predator Population Grows, May 9, 2011:
http://virginia.statehousenewsonline.com/3706/questions-mount-as-virginia%e2%80%99s-sexual-predator-population-grows/

Rising Numbers in VA Civil Commitment Program Sparks Investigation (Virginia), May 9, 2011:
http://www.nbc29.com/story/14602313/rising-numbers-in-va-civil-commitment-program-sparks-investigation

Sex-Offender System Casts Wide Net, April 17, 2011:
Judges and prosecutors say Minnesota needs a less costly and more flexible program.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/120031999.html

Virginia Legislature Passes Sexual Predator Bill, March 2, 2011:
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9030212

Lawmakers Reject McDonnell Plan for Sex Offenders (Virginia), February 28, 2011:
http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/feb/28/3/lawmakers-reject-mcdonnell-plan-sex-offenders-ar-872990/

Cost to Keep Sexual Offenders in Check is Escalating for Virginia, February 21, 2011:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/21/AR2011022105330.html?referrer=emailarticle

Panel Scraps Bill on Sexually Violent Predators (Virginia), February 19, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/feb/19/TDMAIN04-panel-scraps-bill-on-sexually-violent-pre-ar-853925/
(2011- SB1470)

Cuccinelli Legislation Raises Question if Sex Offenders are Patients or Prisoners, February 16, 2011:
http://watchdog.org/8318/cuccinelli-legislation-raises-question-if-sex-offenders-are-patients-or-prisoners/

Some Say Proposal Could Threaten Constitutionality of Va's Program to Detain Sex Offenders (Virginia), February 13, 2011:
http://www.wdbj7.com/sns-ap-va--xgr-sexualpredators-commitment,0,3010566.story

Senate OKs Bill on Detaining Sex Offenders (Virginia), February 13, 2011:
"When this breaks, it won't be one person," Delegate Robert Bell, R-Albemarle, told Sargent. "As you know, the system will break, and at that point the entire system will be declared unconstitutional."
A subcommittee chaired by Bell stripped similar language from the House's version of the civil committee bill, opting instead to allow the reviews to be done via video conferencing in areas where that's available.
Sargent said segregating offenders when they're held for the hearings, which could be up to a week at a time, is too expensive and impractical for sheriffs, who support the law change.
She said she was confident the practice was legal and constitutional "because it's for a very short time period."
Some legislators questioned if offenders should be in jail at all if they are being rehabilitated.
"Logic would tell me that if I'm not being punished for a crime, what the heck are you putting me in a prison or a jail with a bunch of criminals?" said Delegate David Albo, R-Fairfax. "That's not fair."
Offenders and some attorneys who defend them agree.
"Jail is punitive! For five seconds or two hours or three weeks, it's punitive and way worse than any prison," committed sex offender Mike Holzmiller wrote in a letter to The Associated Press.
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/02/senate-oks-bill-detaining-sex-offenders
(HB1698 and SB1275)

Va. Lawmakers Seek to Shrink Cost of Confining Sex Offenders, February 11, 2011:
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/02/va-lawmakers-seek-shrink-cost-confining-sex-offenders

Senator Seeks Study on Castrating Sex Offenders, January 26, 2011:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_XGR_SEXUAL_PREDATORS_CASTRATION_VAOL-?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/26/national/main7285263.shtml http://www.ctpost.com/default/article/Senator-seeks-study-on-castrating-sex-offenders-977831.php http://voices.washingtonpost.com/crime-scene/virginia/renewed-push-for-castration-in.html

Costs for Sexual Predator Program Growing (Virginia), January 15, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jan/15/tdmain10-legislators-balk-at-costs-of-program-for--ar-775895/?referer=None&shorturl=http://timesdispatch.com/ar/775895/

Cost of Sex Offender Program Shocks Lawmakers (Virginia), January 15, 2011:
Del. Rosalyn Dance, D-Petersburg, said the state needs to examine why so few offenders are being released. "We have an elaborate get-you-in system," she said. "I think we also need an elaborate get-you-out system."
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/01/cost-virginia-sex-offender-program-shocks-lawmakers

Closed State Prison to House Sexually Violent Predators (Virginia), December 30, 2010:
http://virginia.statehousenewsonline.com/2617/closed-state-prison-to-house-sexually-violent-predators/

A Program Grows Beyond Reason (Virginia), December 27, 2010:
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/12/program-grows-beyond-reason

Civil Confinement of Sex Offenders Costs State $175,000 Apiece (NY), December 26, 2010:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20101226/NEWS01/12260311

Confining State's Sex Predators: Is It Still a Cost-Effective Solution? (WA), December 25, 2010: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/dec/25/community-protection-act-20-years-later-states/

Some Question Va's Costly Civil Commitment Program, December 19, 2010:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_CIVIL_COMMITMENT_VAOL-?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&cid=srch

Va. Facility for Sex Predators to Exceed Limit in 2012, September 21, 2010:
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/09/va-facility-sex-predators-exceed-limit-2012

Change in Law will Keep Portsmouth Sex Offender Locked Up (Virginia), July 21, 2010:
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/07/change-law-will-keep-sex-offender-locked

Sexually Violent Predator Program Strapped for Cash, July 12, 2010:
http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-civil-commitment-running-out-of-money100712,0,5401821.story

Va. Sexual Predator Program Faces $26M Shortfall, July 9, 2010:
http://wjz.com/wireapnewsva/Va.s.civil.2.1795603.html

VA's Civil Commitment Program Faces Shortfall, July 9, 2010:
http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=12780903

Sexually Violent Predator Program Needs More Funds (Virginia), July 1, 2010:
http://virginia.statehousenewsonline.com/290/sexually-violent-predator-program-needs-more-funds/

Sexual Predator Treatment Squeezes Budgets, June 21, 2010:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37819608/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Opinion: Civil Confinement, Controversial Reincarcerations Must be Done with Great Care April 21, 2010: http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2010/04/civil_confinement_controversia.html

Granados Column: Joshua Curtis: Locked Up with Perhaps No End in Sight March 21, 2010:
http://www2.insidenova.com/isn/news/opinion/columns/article/granados_column_joshua_curtis_locked_up_with_perhaps_no_end_in_
sight/54343/

Part 1 -Granados Column: Joshua Curtis Goes Down the Rabbit Hole, January 17, 2009: http://www2.insidenova.com/isn/news/opinion/columns/article/granados_column_the_surreal_world_of_sex_crime_law/50526/

Part 2- Granados Column: Further Down the Rabbit Hole We Go, January 24, 2010:
http://www2.insidenova.com/isn/news/opinion/columns/article/granados_column_further_down_the_rabbit_hold_we_go/50938/

Part 3- Granados Column: The Last Word on the Strange Case of Joshua Curtis, January 31, 2010:
http://www2.insidenova.com/isn/news/opinion/columns/article/granados_column_the_last_word_on_the_strange_case_of_joshua_curtis/51395/

Va.‘s Sex-Offender Center will Fill up by 2012, Officials say, September 17, 2009:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/CIVL17_20090916-222403/293448/

Problems Linger at Sex-offender Rehab Center (Virginia), April 6, 2009:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2009/apr/06/vcbr06_20090405-214625-ar-47137/

Sex Offenders' Treatment Questioned (Virginia), February 17, 2009:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2009/feb/17/vcbr17_20090216-223116-ar-66160/

Sex-offender Law Rejected by U.S. Court, January 9, 2009:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2009/jan/09/cour09_20090108-222114-ar-104282/

Virginia's Commitment Law Raises Many Questions, April 4, 2008:
http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/43/7/21

Treatment Center for Sex Offenders Opens (Virginia) February 27, 2008:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/lifestyles/2008/feb/27/-rtd_2008_02_27_0146-ar-167555/

House Panel Moves to Ease Commitment Laws (Virginia), January 26, 2008:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/25/AR2008012503096.html?hpid=sec-health

Assault Victim's Hard-won Triumph (Virginia), January 21, 2008:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2008/jan/21/-rtd_2008_01_21_0144-ar-143797/

Opinion: Confinement Laws are a Win-Win, Even for Predators (Virginia), November 13, 2007:
http://hamptonroads.com/node/425401?cid=srch
(Is she really serious? Or is she just a complete idiot? Wow!)

Sex Offenders and the Law: Too Dangerous to be Released? (Virginia) November 11, 2007:
http://hamptonroads.com/node/423911

Judge Strikes Law to Extend Prison Time Federal Judge Strikes Down (NC), September 13, 2007:
Court Challenges civil commitment and law aimed to restrict offenders to mental hospital
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/virginian-pilot-ledger-star-norfolk/mi_8014/is_20070913/judge-strikes-law-extend-prison/ai_n41362621/

Sex Crimes Carry Threat of Extended Detention, May 13, 2007:
Prosecutors in Virginia can petition to place sex offenders in mental institutions after their prison terms are up. http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/116681

Doubts Rise as States Hold Sex Offenders After Prison, March 4, 2007:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/us/04civil.html

Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators in Virginia: Submitted by Angela Axselle and Jill Ryan, Assistant Attorney Generals, March 2007: http://www.govppa.org/newsletter/07_march/index_files/Page538.htm

Making Time Fit the Crime for Predators, November 20, 2006:
Authorities are trying to toughen the penalties for crimes involving sexual exploitation of children. But some in the legal community wonder whether stricter punishments will solve the problem.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/special/wb/92446

Governor Kaine Signs Legislation Boosting Penalties, Monitoring of Predators, April 24, 2006:
Package signed during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/MediaRelations/newsReleases/viewRelease.cfm?id=116

Va. Grapples With Ballooning Cost to Confine Sex Offenders, April 2, 2006:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/01/AR2006040101092.html

Committed to Treatment (Virginia) June 5, 2005:
Supporters of civil commitment say it's necessary to deal with sexually violent predators. Detractors question whether the treatment is working.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/xp-24865

Virginia High Court gets its First Crack at State's Sexually Violent Predator Act. (McCloud v. Commonwealth, Townes v. Commonwealth, Commonwealth v. Allen) April 1, 2005:
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-132465197/virginia-high-court-gets.html