Note: This is an unpublished story from VCU's "iPadJournos" project in Fall 2015. The story is reported in collaboration with Haley Beck, a VCU graduate with a double major in journalism and criminal justice.
LYNCHBURG, Va. (VCU Odyssey) – A college professor began a petition on Change.org to bring back parole in Virginia since its abolition in 1995. Lindsay Michie, Ph.D., chair of Lynchburg College’s history department, has gathered more than 10,000 signatures in support since the petition began in 2013.
“We feel that locking so many people up for such long periods of time with very little in the way of programs, hope, or sincere efforts at rehabilitation has torn the fabric of our society," Michie said. "[It has] left many children without real parental guidance or strong relationships to help them through difficult situations."
Michie said the petition began alongside two inmates with support from criminal justice activists. While visiting inmates, she saw "many problems" with the prison system.
Parole was formally abolished in Virginia on Jan. 1, 1995 under Gov. George Allen.
In an effort to bring more publicity, Michie said she is in the process of combining her petition with Kelly Brotzman, Ph.D., a professor of poverty studies at Washington and Lee University in Lexington. Brotzman and Michie have been attending hearings of the Governor’s Commission to review parole.
According to them, Gov. McAuliffe has responded positively to the idea. In June, he signed an executive order to review. An executive committee to discuss parole was created as well in 2015. As of Apr. 22, Gov. McAuliffe restored voting rights to felons — however no reports of formal action on full reestablishment of parole have been found.
Approximately 3,500 incarcerated Virginians in 2013 committed an offense before the abolition. This means in theory, some are eligible for parole — in practice, though, it is rarely granted.
The Virginia Parole Board may decide to grant parole if an offender falls into one of three categories: (1) The offense was committed prior to parole's abolition on Jan. 1, 1995. (2) An offender has misdemeanors committed prior to July 1, 2008. (3) An offender was sentenced under the Youthful Offender Act, meaning when said offender is under the age of 21 when a crime with a sentence at a county/city jail for a maximum of one year or less is committed.
According to a poll run by Virginia Commonwealth University's L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, 76 percent of all Virginians polled support reinstating parole.
In 2014, the Virginia Department of Corrections introduced a new policy allowing a person to visit only one inmate at a time; exceptions are made for immediate family members, defined as offspring, sibling, spouse, or parent.
Long term sentences with little contact with the outside may cause a difficulty in an inmate’s adjustment post-release.
Stephen Quick, a former inmate at Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George, said he was incarcerated with numerous people who did not receive phone calls or visitors in the duration of their sentence, despite having longer sentences.
“I was only there for a few months, and when I came out, my whole life was different,” Quick said. “Look at how much it changed me. I can’t imagine how hard it would be for guys that are in there for years.”
Quick said the prison next door was full — federal inmates with sentences up to 40 years or longer were housed with “short timers” awaiting court dates in jail.
Since parole’s abolition, Virginia has built more than 13 new correctional facilities. According to the American Legislative Exchange Council, the average yearly cost to house a single inmate is more than $25,000.
Sarah Scarbrough, Ph.D. is the internal program director at Richmond City Justice Center. Scarbrough directs a program entitled “REAL,” or “Recovering from Everyday Addictive Lifestyles.” The programs are geared towards rehabilitation and a “successful reentry back into the community.”
Scarbrough said that bringing back parole is a “double-edged sword.”
“Having the option for parole is absolutely an incentive for [people] who are incarcerated,” said Scarbrough. “It’s an incentive for good behavior. It’s an incentive to really do well and get involved in programs [and] therapeutic communities.
"So, there is a chance of them being released early. That being said, just because individuals participate in programs does not mean they are genuine, and it doesn’t mean they are necessarily ready.”
According to Scarbrough, if an inmate is sentenced to 20 years with the option of parole and only serves four years, the psychological effects might be worse than an inmate sentenced to four years and serving the whole sentence. Scarbrough said in a state without parole there are no “mind games.”
If said inmate sentenced to 20 years is turned down multiple times — which Scarbrough said often happens — it could lead to bad behavior and depression.
Scarbrough said the programs that need to be in place, whether with or without the option of parole, need to be “holistic in nature.”
Scarbrough suggests a “step down” approach if bringing back parole is unattainable. This would utilize programs such as work release and home incarceration, allowing prisoners to relearn their freedoms again, rather than being “dumped” on the street without any proper training.
“Obviously [they] need to suffer the consequences and pay for what they did,” she said. “But if they have worked hard, they should be given an opportunity.”
