Is arresting prison visitors another way to combat crime or harassment of inmate families? Authorities nabbed 41 people on the Jan. 10-11 weekend for various offenses at Coffeewood Correctional Center in Mitchells, Va., reports the Star Exponent in Culpeper, Va. Fifteen were found to have suspended drivers licenses, 13 had suspected drugs or drug paraphernalia, eight had alcohol, four had firearms or ammunition, and one presented false identification.
About 1,200 men are housed at the medium security, state prison. Charles Sullivan of the national group CURE, which represents prisoners’ families, said he was angry about the arrests, which he said may reflect an attempt by prison administrators to isolate inmates. Arresting prison visitors, he says, goes against the spirit of the inmate re-entry movement and the new federal Second Chance Act.