HJ220: Celebrating the life of Richard Paul Kern.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 220
Celebrating the life of Richard Paul Kern.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 27, 2012
Agreed to by the Senate, February 2, 2012

 

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern, a devoted public servant, leading criminologist, loving husband, father, and brother, and committed friend, died on December 13, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern was nationally and internationally known for his work in offender recidivism and risk assessment; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern began his career of public service in 1983 at the Department of Criminal Justice Service, leading the effort to create the state?s first automated information system on felony offenders, a system which became one of the earliest and most comprehensive of its kind in the nation; and

WHEREAS, during his nearly 30 years of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Richard Paul Kern served as director of the Virginia Criminal Justice Research Center and as research director for the Governor?s Commission on Parole Abolition and Sentence Reform; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern served as Director of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission since its inception in 1994, leading the development and promulgation of felony sentencing guidelines for use by circuit court judges; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern received his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Kings College in 1975 and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Criminology from Florida State University in 1977 and 1982; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern further served his community as a member of numerous organizations, including the Justice Research and Statistics Association, Vera Institute of Justice, and the National Association of Sentencing Commissions, and as a regular guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale Law School; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern is greatly missed by his wife, Denise; daughters, Jillian and Jessica; son, Justin; twin brothers, William and George; sister, Mary Therese Bernadyn; mother-in-law, Ann Boris; and all who knew him; and

WHEREAS, while his death has left a void in his community,Richard Paul Kern leaves a lasting legacy on Virginia?s criminal justice system; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of a selfless public servant and leader in his field, Richard Paul Kern; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Richard Paul Kern as an expression of the General Assembly?s respect for his memory.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 220
Offered January 19, 2012
Celebrating the life of Richard Paul Kern.

Patrons-- Gilbert, Albo, Bell, Robert B., Cline, Farrell, Habeeb, Herring, Iaquinto, Johnson, Kilgore, Loupassi, McClellan, Miller, Minchew, Morris, Toscano, Villanueva and Watts

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern, a devoted public servant, leading criminologist, loving husband, father, and brother, and committed friend, died on December 13, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern was nationally and internationally known for his work in offender recidivism and risk assessment; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern began his career of public service in 1983 at the Department of Criminal Justice Service, leading the effort to create the state?s first automated information system on felony offenders, a system which became one of the earliest and most comprehensive of its kind in the nation; and

WHEREAS, during his nearly 30 years of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Richard Paul Kern served as director of the Virginia Criminal Justice Research Center and as research director for the Governor?s Commission on Parole Abolition and Sentence Reform; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern served as Director of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission since its inception in 1994, leading the development and promulgation of felony sentencing guidelines for use by circuit court judges; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern received his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Kings College in 1975 and his MS and PhD in Criminology from Florida State University in 1977 and 1982; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern further served his community as a member of numerous organizations, including the Justice Research and Statistics Association, Vera Institute of Justice, and the National Association of Sentencing Commissions, and as a regular guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale Law School; and

WHEREAS, Richard Paul Kern is greatly missed by his wife, Denise; daughters, Jillian and Jessica; son, Justin; twin brothers, William and George; sister, Mary Therese Bernadyn; mother-in-law, Ann Boris; and all who knew him; and

WHEREAS, while his death has left a void in his community, Richard Paul Kern leaves a lasting legacy on Virginia?s criminal justice system; and

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of a selfless public servant and leader in his field, Richard Paul Kern; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Richard Paul Kern as an expression of the General Assembly?s respect for his memory.