We made it through the 2020 Special Session and have lots to celebrate. Find out what happened with Justice Forward’s priority legislation: Jury Sentencing, Pretextual Policing, Earned Sentence Credits, Expungement Reform, and Assault on Law Enforcement Officers.
Read MoreFind out about the progress made last week in the Special Session and about what’s making news in Virginia and around America related to criminal justice reform. September 20-26, 2020
Read MoreOne of Justice Forward Virginia’s top priorities this session has been SB 5007 - jury sentencing. It has the potential to be one of the most significant criminal justice reforms ever in Virginia. It was almost to the finish line when an amendment from an opponent has put it at risk of being implemented. Find out what happened and what YOU can to to SAVE SB 5007
Read MoreFind out about the progress made last week in the Special Session and about what’s making news in Virginia and around America related to criminal justice reform.September 13-19, 2020
Read MoreFind out about the progress made last week in the Special Session and about what’s making news in Virginia and around America related to criminal justice reform.September 6-12, 2020
Read MoreGet the status of priority bills and find out what to expect in week 4 of the 2020 Special Session
Read MoreFind out about the progress made last week in the Special Session and about what’s making news in Virginia and around America related to criminal justice reform. August 29-September 6, 2020
Read MoreFind out about the progress made last week in the Special Session and about what’s making news in Virginia related to criminal justice reform. August 22-28, 2020
Read MoreAre you a lawyer? We need your help!
The primary purpose of The Virginia Redemption Project is to match currently incarcerated individuals with pro bono lawyers to assist them in completing their clemency petitions. Having counsel through the clemency process greatly increases the chances of success, and the joint effort hopes to ensure that those who are most at risk of illness from COVID-19 and who cannot afford a lawyer have access to meaningful review.
Read MoreFind out about the progress made last week in the Special Session and about what’s making news in Virginia related to criminal justice reform. August 15-21, 2020
Read MoreVirginia law currently ensures that no one convicted of a crime can ever have that offense removed from their record. The law also does not allow for the expungement of some kinds of offenses from your record, even if you were not convicted of that offense. The permanence of criminal records in Virginia are a racial justice issue that needs to be addressed in the upcoming special session.
Read MoreFind out about what’s making news in Virginia this week related to criminal justice reform. August 8-14, 2020
Read MoreStill have questions about police reform as we approach the special legislative session? Tune in on August 12 from 6:30-8:00pm when we're bringing back some of the most popular guests from our "Get Informed About Police Reform" explainer series!
Read MoreFind out about what’s making news in Virginia this week related to criminal justice reform. August 1-7, 2020
Read MoreWhile many are calling for their increased use, the promise of body worn cameras is turning out to be overstated. Evidence shows that body worn cameras don’t significantly change police behavior or reduce use of force by police. Instead, the benefit of BWCs is that they provide documentation after the fact, rather than changing police behavior or reducing racial disparities in policing.
Read MoreFind out about what’s making news in Virginia this week related to criminal justice reform. July 31, 2020
Read MoreOn August 5, join Vernida R. Chaney (President, NoVa Black Attorneys Assoc.), national justice reform expert Premal Dharia (Defender Impact Initiative) and Justice Forward's own Andy Elders for an expert panel on why mandatory minimums don't work, and why they ought to be repealed -- ALL of them, not just those applicable to nonviolent offenses.
Read MoreIn Virginia approximately 55% of schools have police officers assigned to then, about twice as many as in 2020. The increases were implemented with the the hopes that having police in school would make our kids safer, but the real impact seems to be that more and more students are being referred to police for disciplinary problems that could be handled at school. The overreliance of policing in schools has led to victimization and violence against our children, especially Black children, and has ultimately led to children being less safe.
Read MoreOriginally touted as a tool to deter serious crime and eliminate sentencing disparities, mandatory minimum sentences have had no measurable impact on deterrence and have coincided with the mass incarceration of African American citizens.
Read MoreA misdemeanor is a criminal offense punishable in Virginia by a fine up to $2500 or jail time up to 12 months. Despite being minor offenses, misdemeanors have impacts on the lives of the individuals charged far greater than the charge implies. From remaining in jail while awaiting trial if bail can’t be procured or accepting a plea just to get out of jail, just the accusation of a misdemeanor can turn a defendant’s life upside down. This is followed by a criminal record that lasts a lifetime (expungement is not allowed) and can prevent a person from getting jobs and housing as well as increase the likelihood of being arrested again.
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