DN-R Monthly Justice Matters Column

The Valley Justice Coalition publishes a monthly Justice Matters 
column, this latest one being by two JMU students. 

Students Learn By Doing

How much do you know about what happens in our local courts from day to day?

As part of our Communities and Courts class at James Madison University, a number of us are spending time each week observing the courtroom, speaking with judges, watching cases unfold, and collecting data for the Community-Court Connection (C3) project, which is promoted locally by James Madison University and the Valley Justice Coalition. The purpose is to help us and our community better understand how the local justice system functions.

What we take away from this experience is more than what we could learn in a classroom. Each week, we observe the General District Court or Circuit Court for an hour, witnessing everything from traffic violations to felony cases. We take notes on interactions among individuals in the courtroom to better understand how each person’s role contributes to the system’s overall functioning. We also collect data on the number of charges, the types of offenses, courtroom procedures, and the presence or absence of legal representation, among other details, before recording the information on our online dataset.

Court-watching programs have become increasingly common throughout the country. According to a training conducted by the American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, the goal is to reveal injustices within the court to the public and increase transparency. Observing court proceedings shows how case outcomes can vary depending on the court actors involved, as judges differ in their approaches and demeanors: some are more lenient and forgiving, while others are more formal and strict. Data on case outcomes show that different court actors involved can make a significant difference.

The connection between course materials and our real-life observations has challenged our assumptions about the fairness of the legal system. We have noted that the presence of attorneys from the new Harrisonburg and Rockingham County’s Public Defenders Office has had a positive effect on outcomes. Abigail Thibeault, Chief Public Defender, informed us that Harrisonburg has had such an office for just over a year now, and that until then, low-income individuals had to rely on court-appointed attorneys, often with limited time and resources.

While we have been told that overall crime rates have been declining, our local courts remain incredibly busy, especially with traffic and misdemeanor offenses. The data we collected for our class support this. Between September 23 and 28, for example, 17 students collectively observed 133 cases, despite each attending court for only an hour a week.

Our observations further confirmed that social constructs, such as economic inequality, shape legal outcomes. Individuals who lack the funds for an attorney often face longer delays, more uncertainty, and fewer options. According to our class data, around 374 individuals from our observation hours appeared in court without legal counsel. This means they either couldn’t afford representation or, as in many traffic or misdemeanor cases, representation didn’t seem necessary. But when representation is needed, the lack of representation can significantly affect case outcomes negatively for those charged.

Through observing the courts and gaining a deeper understanding of the justice system, we develop professional skills that will support our future careers. We strengthen our time management by fitting weekly court visits into our busy schedules and identifying which sessions are most productive. We have improved our communication skills by watching how judges, attorneys, police, and defendants interact professionally. We have also gained insight into ethical decision-making by seeing legal professionals balance courtroom rules with their own judgment. Such skills will directly shape our career paths in the justice field and our roles as engaged community members.

Our observations have highlighted many strengths within our local courts, such as organized, timely proceedings and the reliability of court interpreters. Court staff were knowledgeable and prepared, creating an efficient courtroom environment. However, securing legal representation for low-income individuals remains a barrier for many, so additional resources to reduce these inequalities will help ensure equity in the system.

Community volunteers are also being invited to take part in this ongoing project, which offers insight into how our local legal system works, broader perspectives about issues of legal injustice, and the importance of being an educated and engaged citizen.

Justice Matters columns are provided by the VJC, a local citizen voice for criminal justice reform in our community and in the Commonwealth since 2014. This one was written by JMU students Sydney Herrmann and Caroline Wright.

Going Bananas Over Injustice

Inflation hasn't seemed to affect the price of this exotic (non-native) fruit at our nearby Food Lion.

"Listen! Hear the cries of the wages of your field hands. These are the wages you stole from those who harvested your fields. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of heavenly forces. You have lived a self-satisfying life on this earth, a life of luxury. You have stuffed your hearts in preparation for the day of slaughter." 

James 5:4-5 (CEB)

Have you ever wondered why we pay less for imported bananas than any other item in the produce section of our supermarkets? Or why we have to pay up to four times as much for apples or peaches, among the native products available to us (though even those are also often imported from distant countries)? 

One obvious reason is that wages and other operating costs are far lower elsewhere than those in the US. If we grew and marketed bananas here, the price would be far higher, even in cases where migrant workers are employed.

Sam Funkhouser, Princeton seminary graduate and member of an Old German Baptist group in Edinburg, in a keynote address at a November 15, 2025, workshop I attended, asked the question, "How many of the goods and products we take for granted could we afford if all who worked to make them possible were paid the wages we would expect for ourselves?"

Including the harvesting and shipping of bananas.

An informative article in the Wikipedia on "banana republics" describes some Central American and other countries as follows:

A banana republic is a country with an economy of state capitalism, where the country is operated as a private commercial enterprise for the exclusive profit of the ruling class. Typically, a banana republic has a society of extremely stratified social classes, usually a large impoverished working class and a ruling class plutocracy, composed of the business, political, and military elites.The ruling class controls the primary sector of the economy by exploiting labor. Such exploitation is enabled by collusion between the state and favored economic monopolies, in which the profit, derived from the private exploitation of public lands, is private property. At the same time, the debts incurred thereby are the financial responsibility of the public treasury. Therefore, the term banana republic is a pejorative descriptor for a servile oligarchy that abets and supports, for kickbacks, the exploitation of large-scale plantation agriculture, especially banana cultivation.... By the 1930s, the United Fruit Company owned 1,400,000 hectares (3.5 million acres) of land in Central America and the Caribbean. 

Honduras and Guatemala are cited in the article as two examples of countries in which US corporations like the United Fruit Company (now Chiquitas), and the Standard Fruit Company (now Dole) gained and have maintained major economic and political control over their host nations, often with the clandestine help of CIA and other US agencies that helped overturn governments they saw as getting in their way.

Even in Costa Rica, one of the more democratic Central American nations, Dole and other powerful corporations have managed to gain possession of huge amounts of land to make it one of the largest producers of pineapples in the world. Members of my oldest brother's family who live in the Pital region in the northeast part of the country have witnessed firsthand the takeover of hundreds of acres of good agricultural land for pineapple production. This was obtained by Del Monte from subsistence farmers who were promised good employment and a better life if they sold their property to the company. The result has been heavy truck traffic causing harm to local roads, the exploitation of local workers and a marked increase in drug use in the community. 

To the extent that we all benefit we are also all complicit. 

An Old Age Question: To Retire Or Retread?

Jimmy Carter 1924-2024

Most of us grew up fully expecting to retire at sometime around 65. This is remarkable in light of the fact that, according to one source, "... the idea of retirement is of recent origin, being introduced during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Previously, low life expectancy, lack of social security and the absence of pension arrangements meant that most workers continued to work until their death. Germany was the first country to introduce retirement benefits in 1889" (Wikipedia).

Mehmet Oz, the medical doctor and administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is proposing that Americans consider working a year or more longer than the usual retirement age. Not only are most people in better health at age 65 than their counterparts a half century ago, Dr. Oz claims this would generate enough extra wealth to "remove the [national] debt" (The Jefferson City Tribune News).Should we rethink the idea of an arbitrary age for wrapping up our life work? 

I recall sociologist and preacher Tony Compolo noting that the only person in the Bible announcing his retirement is referred to as a "fool" for saying to himself, “You have plenty of goods laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry” (Luke 12).

I'm inspired by the positive example of Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter, who continued to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity well into their nineties. Theirs was an expression of Jimmy's life motto: "I have one life and one chance to make it count for something... My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference."

Paul T. Yoder, M.D.

One of my boyhood friends, Paul T. Yoder, M.D., now in his mid-80's, is still working as a hospice care physician in LaJunta, Colorado as an extension of his life mission. The late Dr. Linford Gehman, a beloved family care physician, made house calls and provided medical care at the rural Green Valley Clinic near Bergton until he was 82. After the clinic closed in 2015 he continued to work part time at the E.A Hawse Health Center in Mathias, WV, and after that volunteered at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic for a number of years prior to his death at age 90.

These golden agers should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Täuferjäger (Baptist Hunters) And ICE Agents

In May, 1569,  Anabaptist Dirk Willems turned back to rescue his pursuer, a prison guard whose weight caused him to break through the ice on the frozen pond they were crossing, rather than continue his escape to freedom. Willems was apprehended and died a prolonged and excruciatingly painful death at the stake four days later.

After Anabaptists were hunted, hounded and martyred all over Europe for well over a century, a special Swiss unit was formed for the sole purpose of finally rooting out these dissenters for good.

"The operational framework for Anabaptist hunters, known as Täuferjäger, formalized in Bern during the 17th century amid ongoing resistance, with a 1669 secret government directive authorizing the recruitment of informers and bounty-hunting Täuferjäger to pursue Anabaptists in remote valleys, mountains, and forests, offering initial payments of 30 Kreuzer per captured individual funded by confiscated property. These armed envoys operated independently of local sheriffs, crossing cantonal borders to conduct house-to-house raids and interrogations, with rewards scaling to 100 talers for preachers, 50 for deacons, 30 Kronen for lay members, and 15 for women by 1714, reflecting intensified efforts after the 1659 establishment of an Anabaptist Commission to systematize arrests and property seizures. Hunters faced frequent popular sympathy for Anabaptists, as seen in a 1702 Emmental raid thwarted by community warnings via horns and shouts, and a 1714 incident in Sumiswald where 60-70 locals freed captives, underscoring tensions between state enforcers and rural populations who sheltered nonconformists."

Source: https://grokipedia.com/page/anabaptist_hunters

Sixteenth-century free church believers in western Europe who formed underground congregations separate from officially established state churches were labeled Anabaptists (re-baptizers). But their objection to state-mandated infant baptism was not just because they believed there was no New Testament basis for the practice, but because they saw it as a forced means of officially registering (documenting) people as not only citizens of the state but as members of the state-aligned church. 

Today most Christians have become totally "anabaptist" in their support of this kind of freedom of religion, but at that time everyone was either Catholic, Lutheran or Reformed based solely on the place of ones birth and residence. It was considered necessary that all citizens of the same jurisdiction belong to and to practice the same faith.

This meant that the unbaptized children of Anabaptist resisters were not only undocumented, but whole families were frequently stripped of their rights as citizens and were arrested, prosecuted and/or forced into exile. Many, like my ancestors, chose to emigrate to the new world because they could no longer find refuge and relative freedom to practice their faith without fear of being charged with crimes for doing so.

Ironically, many of our undocumented neighbors today are desperately seeking legal status as citizens, whereas our ancestors rejected being forced into becoming members of a system that failed to grant what they believed was their God-given right to choose. 

While there are many differences between circumstances in the 16th and 17th century and those of today, there are also similarities. In both scenarios the hunters are clearly on the side of following and strictly enforcing established laws, and those they were pursuing were clearly violating them.  Yet throughout the Bible, they believed, God consistently sided with the oppressed rather than with their oppressors, with the hunted rather than their hunters, as illustrated in stories of the Pharoahs, Herods and Caesars of Biblical times. And they saw far more references in the Torah, God's law, in support of welcoming refugees than even for things as basic as observing the Sabbath.

Immigrants have always been a boon to our economy, and many US Nobel prize winners have been first-generation immigrants. We have greatly benefited from welcoming good hardworking people "yearning to be free" into our communities, regardless of their faith, race or ethnic backgrounds. And Christians should be concerned that many being deported today, especially from Latin American countries, are fellow believers and that only a small percentage, from whatever countries of origin, are guilty of any crime other than their lack of, or loss of, their legal status.

Five Decades Later, This Oratorio Still Resonates

When I attended Eastern Mennonite College (now University) in the early sixties the highlight of its fall homecoming weekend was an annual performance of A. R. Gaul's oratorio "The Holy City." Nearly 200 students formed a mass choir for the cappella performance, joined by scores of alumni who returned to their alma mater to take part in this EMC tradition.

The first campus performance was in 1922, but the first annual rendition was in 1933, with a final performance in 1970. Many began to refer to EMC homecomings as "Holy City Weekend," and the chapel auditorium was typically packed for the event. 

Gaul's work was popular in the early part of the twentieth century, and included some beautiful arias and choruses based mostly on scripture texts.

Next only to Handel's Messiah, words and tunes from The Holy City still resonate in my head and occupy a large space in my heart.

In a recent visit with a fellow graduate and current  neighbor who is bedfast and in an advanced stage of cancer, I felt led to sing several memorable lines.

I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 

Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, 

and He will dwell with them, 

and they shall be His people, 

and God shall be with them and be their God. 

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; nor any more pain;

for the former things have passed away. 

And I heard the voice of harpers 

harping with their harps; 

and they sang a new song 

before the throne; 

and no one could learn that song 

but they which were redeemed, 

they which were redeemed.

I could have wept. Some texts and tunes are enough to make your heart hurt.

DN-R Justice Matters Column Promotes Reform

Delegate Tony Wilt's bill HB1030, requires the Virginia Parole Board to use objective criteria in determining eligibility for release. As noted above, it would not add any taxpayer expense, but would help free tons of tax dollars by releasing people who are no longer a threat to public safety.

Debra Turner, legislative advisor for the Valley Justice Coalition, wrote the following Justice Matters column published in today's Daily News-Record:

Delegate Tony Wilt Files A Groundbreaking Parole Bill

Remember how important the dreaded report card was when we were in school? Even now, as adults, we endure job performance evaluations in which we are evaluated based on preset criteria, and expect to receive either the benefits of, or the penalties for, our performance.

But what if no matter how well we performed, we never received the benefits, and were continually penalized for offenses committed 20 or 30 years ago?

Del. Tony Wilt and the Valley Justice Coalition believe that those who have committed crimes and are eligible for parole should be able to meet measurable criteria for release. The Virginia Parole Board’s mission is to “release (those) compatible with public safety.” Unfortunately, the Parole Board has failed to live up to its mission statement.

Many citizens are unaware that the State of Virginia eliminated parole in 1995. However, there are still several thousand individuals who are grandfathered under the old parole laws and continue to be eligible to earn parole. Of those potential parolees, only 26 were granted parole in 2025. That is a grant rate of less than 1%. How could such a performance rating system seem fair?

With insightful ideas from two detainees at the Lawrenceville Correctional Center, Delegate Wilt has filed House Bill 1030 with discretionary parole eligibility guidelines. This bill includes a checklist of 10 measurable criteria for parole release, such as being infraction free, length of time served, age at time of offense, and verified home and work plans. Those who are parole eligible gain or lose points based on their individual incarceration histories. Anyone who has a total score of 25 points or less receives no hearing and a negative consideration. Anyone who has a total score of 50+ points, is guaranteed a hearing and positive consideration. This would not guarantee release, but the Parole Board would need to provide an individualized written explanation for any failure to follow the recommendation indicated by the checklist score.

With the passage of HB1030, the Parole Board would finally be held accountable for a release rate of less than 1%. Their current explanations for a parole denial often include “release at this time would diminish the seriousness of the crime,” or “has an extensive criminal record.” These are subjective assessments rather than being based on the clear data that a checklist of criteria would generate.

No matter how extensive or serious, past crimes can never be changed. What matters, after many years of incarceration, are the positive changes that are demonstrated by the individual. What have they done, or not done, to show they are no longer a danger to public safety? Only by examining their carceral history through the completion of an objective checklist can the Parole Board justify their decision to grant or not to grant parole.

On Saturday, Jan. 17, Virginia inaugurated our 75th governor. As I listened to Governor Spanberger’s inaugural speech, one word was highlighted over and over. Affordability. Virginia is facing a period of fiscal challenge that will require bipartisan cooperation. For example, our economy has suffered tremendous loss of income after the elimination of 24,000 federal jobs. We will need to economize in every area possible to make up for this lost revenue.

Consider the currently 1200 eligible for geriatric parole, being sixty years old or older. Due to overly long sentences and an aging prison population, this number is expected to rise by more than 40% in the next few years. The independent watchdog group JLARC reports that 2% of Virginia’s prison population uses nearly 20% of the Department of Corrections healthcare funds. This aging population needs specialized health care that costs the taxpayer an average of $70,000 per person per year. The cost is enormous and will only continue to grow.

Ask yourself this question. Can Virginia continue to morally and financially support a system that warehouses individuals who could be safely returned to family and friends? The answer is a resounding NO.

The Valley Justice Coalition would like to thank Delegate Wilt for attempting to improve this system by filing HB1030 Discretionary Parole Eligibility Guidelines.

Monthly Justice Matters columns are provided by members of the Valley Justice Coalition, a local citizen voice for criminal justice reform in our community and in the Commonwealth since 2014.

It's The Money We Trust, Not The Motto

 

Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari writes, "Money is the most successful story ever invented and told by human beings because it is the only story everyone believes… Not everyone believes in God, not everybody believes in human rights, not everybody believes in nationalism, but everybody believes in money.”

Is this true?

Many Americans share the belief expressed in the motto "In God we Trust," a slogan that became popular during the Civil War and was widely used by supporters of both the Union and the Confederacy. According to a lengthy Wikipedia article, the last bill President Lincoln signed before his assassination was to have that motto inscribed on US coins, and it has since been printed on all US currency.

While we may affirm the words "In God We Trust," what most of us actually rely on for our security and wellbeing is a US economy based more on the Almighty Dollar than on the worldwide reign of Almighty God, who has charged us to care for the earth and all of its inhabitants.  

Money itself is worth no more than the paper or silver currency its inscribed on. In other words, a $1 bill is not intrinsically worth more than a $1000 one.  And none of the gold stored in Fort Knox to back up its value is capable of feeding us or providing for any of our needs.  It is only our common faith in the "worth-ship" (as in the word "worship") of that gold (currently valued at an all time high of over $5000 per troy ounce) that gives it any value. 

Our ultimate security comes through being members of mutually supportive human communities like families, congregations and communities committed to serve and care for each other to the extent that no one starves unless everyone starves. Every other supposed source of security is subject to the kind of economic collapse the nation experienced in the Great Depression, and which the Confederacy experienced at the end of the Civil War, when its money became worthless.

"Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home." 

- Jesus (Luke 16:9 New Living Bible)

https://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2023/12/are-we-more-polytheistic-than-we-realize.html