One of the most volatile topics in public safety relates to solitary confinement in Virginia prisons. Prisoner rights advocates have been pushing for years to end a practice which Virginia prison administrators say, technically, does not exist in our state. What they describe instead as “restorative housing” is the subject of a new report... Mandated this year by the general assembly and published on December first.
The Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement was also assigned as a partner to study the restorative housing program and determine how to safely curb use of the practice. But the coalition pulled out of the research and issued its own report. Citing a refusal by corrections officials to allow outside oversight of the research. In fact, they say that the lack of oversight of daily prison practices can mean life or death for the incarcerated. And can impact all of us when prisoners are released into society.
In January, the Virginia Prison Justice Network will hold its sixth annual prison justice rally. The American Civil Liberties Union will begin discovery in its federal lawsuit against the step-down program, a key component of the restorative housing program, in the ACLU’s effort to dismantle the program... And William Pettigrew will face trial for the murder of Anwar Phillips--- one year after Phillips was discovered dead in his cell.