Editor's note: Gay Gardner, IAHR's Special Advisor on Virginia, corresponds regularly with many men and women incarcerated in Virginia State Prisons. Here is an excerpt of a letter she recently received from Josh (pseudonym) who is incarcerated at Keen Mountain Correction Center, Oakwood, Virginia.

The system of safeguards they (correctional officers) have in place to secure themselves against any possible backlash from their own misconduct and wrongdoing is nearly foolproof.  It’s nepotism at its finest!  Here, in RHU (Restrictive Housing Unit/Solitary Confinement), on one shift we have the floor officer, CO (Correctional Officer) "D". If there’s an issue you have with him, you may take it up with his immediate supervisor, Sergeant "D," his father. If in any case you are not satisfied with the response from Sergeant "D," you may ascend your complaint to his immediate supervisor, Lieutenant "D," Sergeant "D"’s son also.  That’s Lieutenant "C.D."  Not to be mistaken with the watch commander on that shift, Lieutenant "D. D," also Sergeant "D"’s son. And the other shift it is set up much the same. On 5-1-22 at 4:41 pm we had a CO "O" tell an inmate his "momma raised a nigger!" and was confident there will be no consequences because he proudly let us know that his brother is the captain, Captain "O," and his uncle is Major "O." All written complaints filed on the issue have disappeared.