CENTRAL VIOLATION OF PROBATION CENTER
875 Smyrna Landing Road
Smyrna, DE 19977
(302) 659-6100
Warden: Jim Hutchins
Deputy Warden: Wendi Lucus Caple
The Central Violation of Probation Center (CVOP) is a 250-bed Level IV (4) facility near Smyrna, Delaware housing the Crest drug treatment program. CVOP opened in December 2000. CVOP currently houses male offenders only. The Central Violation of Probation Center houses the Crest substance abuse treatment program.
The Crest Program at CVOP is one of four Crest programs in the State. Crest is the second part of Delaware's internationally recognized three-step drug treatment continuum. KEY is the first phase. Aftercare is the third phase. At CVOP, the program is called Crest-Primary. It is a residential treatment program for drug and alcohol abusers. CVOP is designed specifically to be a therapeutic community for offenders with a history of substance abuse. The Crest program is a 6-month program. For the first three months of the Crest program, resident/offenders are not permitted to leave the facility until they have successfully completed this period of the program. Offenders are immersed in substance abuse treatment, therapy and counseling. Security personnel escort them to off-site court appearances and medical appointments. During the second three months of the program, resident/offenders are permitted to leave the building unescorted to job seek, work, travel to outside medical appointments or to attend court appearances. Treatment continues through this second three-month phase. The Crest-Primary program at the CVOP is for those offenders who are in the first three months of the program and who have not had any previous Department of Correction substance abuse treatment. Offenders have either been ordered by a court to participate in the Crest program or classified to the program by Department of Correction officials.
Offenders go through several phases of treatment during their time at Crest:- Entry, evaluation, orientation: offenders become acclimated to life outside prison.
- Primary: counselors and offenders explore the weaknesses of individual offenders and prepare appropriate responses to minimize the likelihood of relapse.
- Job-seeking: offenders develop job seeking and interview skills
- Work release: offenders maintain residence at Plummer (Crest) while working in the community.
The Central Violation of Probation Center is a new concept in Delaware corrections. The CVOP is one of two Violation of Probation Centers in the State. The other is the Sussex Violation of Probation Center in Georgetown, Delaware. The Violation of Probation Centers are not prisons. They are Level IV (4) facilities. Level IV facilities are transition units or programs - housing offenders who are preparing to return to the community full-time. Level IV housing means work release, residential drug treatment (Crest), home confinement or violation of probation custody. The Violation of Probation Centers house primarily offenders who have violated the terms of their probation. These "rules breakers" have not committed any crimes during their probation in the community. They have committed "technical" violations that could include failing to report to their probation officer, changing residence without notifying their probation officer, failing a drug test or failing to abide by a curfew. The Department of Correction believes such violations warrant brief periods of incarceration. Offenders are assigned to work and community service projects during their period of incarceration at the VOP Center. Work includes maintaining their personal living space, cleaning the common areas of the facility and working in the kitchen. Offenders also participate in community service projects that benefit towns, churches, non-profit organizations, American Legions, senior and recreation centers, schools and cemeteries.
Time spent at a Violation of Probation Center gives offenders a chance to adjust their attitudes and change their behaviors so they are better able to abide by the terms of their probation once released back to the community. Additionally, a Violation of Probation Center is a more appropriate correctional placement for these offenders. The VOP Center keeps violators from being returned to a prison population where more serious offenders are housed. This frees up more higher security beds for more serious offenders.
The CVOP offers other treatment and programs to supplement the Crest program. These programs include Bible study, parenting classes, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. The CVOP is planning on bringing more programs on-line in the future.
Vince Bianco is the Warden of the Central Violation of Probation Center. Bianco is based at the Morris Community Corrections Center in Dover. Jim Hutchins is the Deputy Warden of the Central Violation of Probation Center. Hutchins is the highest ranking officer assigned to the CVOP Center.
Inmate Mail Address
Inmate Name
Central Violation of Probation Center
P.O. Box 5003
Smyrna, DE 19977
