TOWARDS A MORE JUST COMMONWEALTH

As Virginians consider next steps for criminal justice reform, Prison Fellowship and the Charles Koch Institute will host a panel of experts to discuss current issues and what productive reform efforts may be on the horizon for Virginia.

Virginia currently has the lowest felony larceny threshold in the country, at $200. Yet, recent polling conducted by Prison Fellowship and the Charles Koch Institute has found that 65% of Virginians believe larceny of $200 worth of goods from a retail store should be a misdemeanor offense, while only 22% believe it should be a felony. The collateral consequences of incarceration, especially for a felony, often hamper an individual’s ability to rejoin society as a productive citizen. Furthermore, many juveniles start on a path of prolonged incarceration, despite data demonstrating that alternative methods of punishment have proved more effective. Virginians are also broadly supportive of reinstating parole. Indeed, self-described conservative or very conservative Virginians support the idea by a two-to-one margin.

Please join our panel of experts for a discussion of these and other pressing criminal justice issues.