News: Press Releases

Inmates at Powhatan Correctional Center Send Father’s Day Messages Home
- Messages From Dad are First in State -

RICHMOND – The Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) in cooperation with Women In Transition (WIT) video taped Messages From Dad today at Powhatan Correctional Center (PCC) to help inmates send Father’s Day messages home. This project is designed to help maintain the important bond with the children and the family of inmates.

“Family contact and support is so important to an inmate’s well-being,” said Director Ron Angelone. “This is why we are so pleased with everyone’s help on this project. Because of its success, we hope to expand this project into other facilities state-wide in the near future.”

PCC is the first male facility in Virginia to conduct such a project. DOC and WIT have previously recorded Messages From Mom at all of the female facilities in Virginia since Mother's Day 2000. The Mother's Messages were done for Christmas that same year and the project has continued to grow with encouragement of the Wardens, the staff, the inmates, their children and families. The messages are now taped twice a year at the three female facilities.

Because WIT is a non-profit organization, photographers and producers donate their time and equipment so that each message is video taped at no cost to taxpayers. The entire video crew is made up of professionals who have many years of experience in film and video productions.

Each inmate that participates is charged $10.00. This cost covers the tape, postage, envelopes, and mailing labels. Each inmate is allowed 15 minutes for their message. Inmates may read a poem, book, and/or talk directly to family members.