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.