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Rally Calls For VA Lawmakers To Examine Solitary Confinement And Bring Back Parole

prison reform
Many in the crowd were returning citizens and children of parents who are incarcerated.

Dozens of people gathered on Richmond’s Capitol Square Friday for the 2nd annual Virginia Prison Reform Rally. The group called on state lawmakers to pass more than 15 criminal justice-related bills under consideration this General Assembly.

Prison reform advocates said they support bills that would direct the state to study the bail system and collect data on solitary confinement in Virginia; practices, they say, disproportionately impact the mentally ill, low-income Virginia’s and people of color.

“Solitary confinement is the isolation of a person for 22-24 hours. This is currently unregulated and unreported in the state of Virginia,” said Ashna Khanna, legislative director for the ACLU of Virginia. “We must have accurate data now on this inhumane practice,” Khanna told the crowd.

Anthony Anderson, who served 35 years in a Virginia prison, attended Friday’s rally to voice his support for bringing back parole.

“It’ll give guys, men and women something to strive for,” Anderson said. “It’s no hope, no opportunity as it sits.”

Parole is the early release of qualifying prisoners on certain conditions and a promise of good behavior. Virginia abolished the practice in 1995. A bill directing the state to look at reinstating parole is up for consideration this session.

Advocates took a blow last week, as two measures to restore felons’ voting rights in Virginia died along party lines. Virginia remains one of only three states that ban people with felony convictions from voting.

Virginia Prison Justice Network organized Friday’s event.

Whittney Evans is VPM News’ features editor.