Criminal Justice

While much of our criminal justice system reflects appropriate concern for the safety and welfare of the
Commonwealth’s residents, it falls short on appropriate displays of compassion and mercy. This is particularly the case with how we rehabilitate and re-engage persons convicted of felony crimes, and our continued acceptance of state-sanctioned killing as just.

Restoration of Rights

The right to vote forms the core of American democracy. In Virginia, individuals with felony convictions
are barred from voting, even after completing their sentence. The process to regain this fundamental right is so outdated and logistically cumbersome that felony disenfranchisement is a de facto permanent
condition. What’s more, felony disenfranchisement has at its root Jim Crow era laws adopted in the 1902 Virginia Constitutional Convention aimed at preventing African-Americans from voting and circumventing the XVth amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Under existing law, only the Governor has the authority to restore the right to vote through the power of
Executive Clemency, and the petition process is arduous, expensive, and presents significant logistical hurdles for those impacted, the majority of who are non-violent offenders. We believe the petition process is outdated and unfair. Working in coalition and with the Legislative Black Caucus, and directly with former felons and the faith communities that support them, we made significant progress with a bill last session that would give the General Assembly authority over the restoration process.

We will continue this work again this year. In addition, we have been working directly with legislators and interested congregations in developing local outreach and education programs aimed at helping former felons navigate the antiquated system because we believe, as did our forefathers, that “The right of
citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” (U.S. Constitution, Amendment XV, ratified Feb. 3, 1870) 

The Death Penalty

When it comes to the death penalty, Virginia is ranked second, behind Texas, in the number of executions since 1976. While persons guilty of crimes should be punished, flaws in our criminal justice system render the death penalty so unredeemably imperfect that its continued acceptance in Virginia is a stain on our sense of fairness and justice. In addition, the death penalty, with its exhaustive appeals process and unique incarceration requirements, ranks among the most expensive components of our criminal justice system, an area of public spending that grows with every newly designated capital crime. We are focused on ending the death penalty in the state. In addition, during the General Assembly session, we will monitor and work for the defeat of bills that seek to expand application of the death penalty to new crimes.