March 26th, 2025
Response to Governor Youngkin’s Veto of HB 2647 / SB 1409
Dear Supporters,
Governor Youngkin’s decision to once again veto HB 2647/SB 1409 is both deeply disappointing and a blatant disregard for the lived experiences of incarcerated Virginians and their families. As we read his response, we are appalled that even the recent crisis at Red Onion State Prison was not enough to prove that so-called "restorative housing" is nothing more than torture.
The governor claims to prioritize "data-driven decision-making" and "evidence-based practices," yet those principles seem to hold no weight when it comes to the lives of incarcerated people. The reality is clear: restorative housing is solitary confinement by another name, and it continues to inflict psychological and physical harm on those subjected to it. The reference to the 2023 legislation, which has yet to be meaningfully implemented, does nothing to address the suffering taking place in Virginia’s prisons today.
The accounts from incarcerated individuals and their families paint a starkly different picture from the one the governor and the Department of Corrections (VADOC) would have the public believe. These testimonies are proof of the inhumane conditions that persist under the guise of safety and order. Ignoring these voices is not just negligent—it is an active choice to uphold a system that devalues human life.
Despite this veto, Interfaith Action for Human Rights, the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement, and our partners will not stop fighting to end prolonged solitary confinement in Virginia. We will continue to introduce legislation that restricts the abuse and isolation of incarcerated Virginians. We will not accept empty rhetoric that prioritizes bureaucratic convenience over basic human rights.
This is not the end. It is another reminder of why we must keep pushing forward—until all people are treated humanely.
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Natasha White
Director of Community Engagement, IAHR
Kimberly Jenkins Snodgrass
Senior Policy Advisor, IAHR
March 26th, 2025
Read Governor Youngkin’s Decision to Veto of HB 2647 / SB 1409
Pursuant to Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 2647, which regulates the use of restorative housing by the Virginia Department of Corrections.
This is the second time this legislation has been brought to my desk. I continue to stand by the bipartisan reforms enacted during the 2023 legislative session that improved the Department of Corrections' utilization of restorative housing. I supported and signed that legislation, which has since been implemented by the Department, bringing in best practices that have proven beneficial for correction officers and inmates.
These reforms represented the culmination of significant efforts by the Department and have positioned us as a national leader in correctional innovation. The Department remains committed to developing new programs and fostering collaboration with diverse voices and stakeholders.
Central to the agency's mission is reentry and long-term public safety, guided by data-driven decision-making and evidence-based practices. The restorative housing program, operating within these principles, stands as a component to ensure safety and security for both inmates and staff.
The new definitions and regulations provided in this proposal still pose challenges to the continued success of these reforms. Designating mental health units as isolated confinement without consideration for the informed judgment of mental health professionals undermines effective prison management. Furthermore, imposing arbitrary timeframes for stays in restorative housing, including investigation time, restricts the staff's ability to maintain order and security.
Attempting to legislate prison operational procedures carries inherent risks to inmates, staff, and the public. Corrections professionals are entrusted with oversight for a reason, as they must balance multiple interests while ensuring safety. Congregating individuals without proper management protocols is not a viable solution.
I also have concerns regarding the budgetary implications of implementing this proposal. The provisions required by this bill may potentially divert funding from vital reentry programs and initiatives to reduce recidivism. Additionally, the proposal introduces unnecessary bureaucracy for facility administrators, detracting from the Department's ability to prioritize safety and inmate rehabilitation.
While I remain committed to fostering a correctional system that prioritizes the safety of all stakeholders, including everyday Virginians, inmates, and correctional officers, I do not believe it is currently prudent to proceed with this proposal. My signature on the bipartisan reforms of 2023, and my continued support for reform and innovation within the Department underscore my dedication to this cause.
Accordingly, I veto this bill.
Governor Glenn Youngkin
Statement published March 25th, 2025: View original publication here.
March 25th, 2025
Governor Youngkin Vetoes HB2647.
Dear Supporters,
Unfortunately, Governor Youngkin has once again vetoed our Restorative Housing Bill, HB2647. You can read Governor Youngkin's full statement regarding this decision here: HB2647 Governor's Veto
Let’s take a moment to regroup. Kimberly and I are currently drafting a formal response, but we felt it was imperative to address the coalition first. By no means are we defeated. We remain steadfast in our fight for justice and will not stop until all people are treated humanely. This setback only strengthens our resolve.
Stay tuned for next steps, and thank you for your unwavering commitment.
--
Natasha White
Director of Community Engagement, IAHR
Kimberly Jenkins Snodgrass
Senior Policy Advisor, IAHR
September 15th, 2024
September 2024: Unbearable Conditions at Red Onion State Prison
On September 15, 2024, a horrifying incident at Virginia’s Red Onion State Prison exposed the unbearable conditions that incarcerated individuals face daily. In a recent radio essay, Kevin Rashid Johnson reported that two men, Econ and his cellmate Trayvon Brown, set themselves on fire, driven to this tragic act by the intolerable racism, abuse, and inhumane treatment they endured. Econ suffered third-degree burns, while Trayvon Brown’s injuries were even more severe.
This was not an isolated act of desperation. In just two weeks, a dozen Black men at Red Onion reached their breaking point, resorting to similar tragic measures. These are not protests but cries for help from individuals pushed to the brink by a system designed to rehabilitate but instead breeds despair.
The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) has gone too far. I am heartbroken and enraged by this level of desperation. The torture and dehumanization of incarcerated people are not only violations of the law but also crimes against humanity. As someone who has fought for freedom and been directly impacted by this system, it infuriates me that institutions continue to disregard human life with such impunity.
This must stop. We need everyone involved in addressing the crisis at Red Onion State Prison. When is enough enough? How many of our brothers must suffer, whether physically or spiritually, before meaningful change occurs? IAHR and the Virginia Coalition have worked tirelessly, year after year, to end solitary confinement—one of the main abuses at the gruesome Red Onion—and we will continue to do so. Please reach out to me if you want to help eliminate the abuses faced by incarcerated individuals; I can be reached via email, call, text, or through our website.
To the families, friends, and communities of those suffering within these walls: We see you, we hear you, and we stand with you in this fight for justice.
This cannot be ignored. Let this serve as a call to action for every person of conscience to demand accountability, transparency, and an end to the torturous practices within our prison systems.
In Solidarity,
--
Natasha White
Director of Community Engagement (IAHR)
Interfaith Action for Human Rights
email: [email protected]
phone/text: 318-295-5343
March 14th, 2024
2024 Legislative Session: Governor Youngkin Vetoes IAHR'S Solitary Bill
House Bill 1244 (HB1244) was adopted by both Houses of the Virginia Legislature on Monday, March 4th, 2024. This is the first time legislation limiting isolation to no more than 15 consecutive days has passed the Virginia Legislature.
On Thursday, March 14, 2024, Governor Youngkin vetoed House Bill 1244 (HB1244). Here is IAHR's Statement in response to the Governor's veto.
Governor Youngkin's decision to veto the solitary confinement limitations bill is deeply concerning and reflects a disregard for the well-being and humane treatment of incarcerated individuals in Virginia's facilities. Despite the ongoing hunger strikes and the overwhelming support this bill received in both the Virginia State Senate and House, Governor Youngkin has chosen to prioritize his agenda over the lives of those affected by solitary confinement.
As a formerly incarcerated survivor of solitary confinement, I am profoundly disappointed and outraged
by this blatant disregard for the suffering experienced by countless individuals subjected to solitary confinement. This decision not only perpetuates the cycle of harm within our criminal justice system but also undermines any progress toward creating a more just and compassionate society.
Governor Youngkin's assertion that vetoing this bill is somehow in line with making Virginia the "best place to live, work, and raise a family" is both disingenuous and morally reprehensible. True progress cannot be achieved while turning a blind eye to the inhumane treatment of the most vulnerable members of our society.
I urge Governor Youngkin to reconsider his decision and prioritize the lives and well-being of all Virginians, including those who are incarcerated. It is time to move forward with compassion, empathy, and a commitment to justice for all.
NatashaWhite
Director of Community Engagement (IAHR)
Interfaith Action for Human Rights
Email:nw[email protected]
Phone/Text: 318-295-5343
Governor Youngkin's Veto Statement
Pursuant to Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 719, which regulates the use of restorative housing.
During the 2023 legislative session, the General Assembly came together in a bipartisan manner to enact reforms to improve the Department of Corrections' utilization of restorative housing. I supported and signed that legislation, which has since been implemented by the Department, bringing in best practices that have proven beneficial for correction officers and inmates.
These reforms represent the culmination of significant efforts by the Department, positioning us as a national leader in correctional innovation. The Department remains committed to developing new programs and fostering collaboration with diverse voices and stakeholders.
Click here to read the rest of the Governor's Veto Statement.
December 21, 2023
Voices from Inside Virginia Prisons Show Need for Robust Independent Oversight of State Prisons
Drawing from correspondence with more than 600 individuals incarcerated in Virginia prisons, Interfaith Action for Human Rights (IAHR) has released a report (the “Red Report”) calling for significant staffing and authority for independent oversight of the operations of the Virginia prison system. The report summarizes 156 stories divided into 16 different categories of abuse ranging from alleged assaults by prison staff to inadequate health care to ineffective and unreliable redress mechanisms.
“You can’t walk away after reading this report,” Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Interim Director of IAHR said, “without concluding that the Virginia Department of Corrections desperately needs robust, independent oversight. June budget legislation took a valuable step in establishing the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman in the Office of the State Inspector General. That office now needs permanent status, with significant funding and meaningful authority, which we urge the General Assembly and Governor Youngkin to enact this year.”
The report, based on the authors’ years of correspondence with hundreds of people held in Virginia prisons and efforts to resolve their complaints, reveals that many of them:
-- endure medical conditions requiring costs to the state and resulting in suffering that could be avoided with prompt and effective medical attention;
-- feel unsafe in Virginia prisons because of the presence of gangs, drugs, and weapons; and/or
-- are held in unsafe or unsanitary conditions, housed in units subject to extreme temperatures and/or lacking access to a nutritionally adequate diet; and that
-- everyone housed in a Virginia prison is at the mercy of prison officials who have the power by accusation to reduce their access to programming, increase their security level, remove them from the general prison population, and reduce their ability to earn credits that can take time off their sentence.”
“The central problem,” Gay Gardner, one of the authors of the report said, “is that currently every option for appeal or a remedy is within the Department of Corrections. There is no outside entity that can be relied upon to objectively review complaints. And time and time again we have seen disciplinary appeals and grievance processes that ignore prisoner complaints – some of which are very detailed – and routinely accept the version of the story presented by prison staff. It makes for a dysfunctional system that engenders cynicism and anger.”
One case cited in the report is from a man at Wallens Ridge State Prison. He wrote in February 2023: “I just wish my written complaint and my grievance was investigated properly when I filed it. Everything I was saying was accurate, and they were still just turning it down. This is real good evidence of why there needs to be an independent grievance office. [I shouldn’t] have to reach out to you in order for my complaint to be investigated properly.”
The report notes: “We cannot independently verify the details of [the stories we document]; however, given their number and the similarities in the stories despite coming from different people who often did not know one another, we believe the stories paint a disturbing picture of Virginia prison operations and deserve to be taken seriously.”
One person housed at St. Brides Correctional Center wrote on April 2, 2022, about the conduct of a correctional officer: “I personally watched him punch an offender in the face while the offender was sitting down simply because the offender questioned him about laundry in a way that Officer S perceived as disrespectful. It was completely unprovoked, but he was not punished at all. Instead, he was seen afterwards laughing about it with other officers. The offender was taken away in handcuffs and has not been seen since.”
The mother of another man at Sussex II wrote on May 15, 2023, to say that her son was stabbed and had staples put in, which weren’t removed until 15 days after they should have been, causing them to have to be removed surgically. She said an investigator looked at 2 ½ hours of video of her son begging for medical attention after the stabbing, that the officers wouldn’t take him to the medical unit, and that finally a new shift superintendent took him there after her son pleaded with her.
Click Here to Read the Full Report.
The 44-page report is being shared with members of the Virginia General Assembly.
Voices from Inside Virginia Prisons Show Need for Robust Independent Oversight of State Prisons
Drawing from correspondence with more than 600 individuals incarcerated in Virginia prisons, Interfaith Action for Human Rights (IAHR) has released a report (the “Red Report”) calling for significant staffing and authority for independent oversight of the operations of the Virginia prison system. The report summarizes 156 stories divided into 16 different categories of abuse ranging from alleged assaults by prison staff to inadequate health care to ineffective and unreliable redress mechanisms.
Click here to read the full report.
Solitary Confinement
Virginia corrections officials, through their Step Down Programs at Red Onion and Wallens Ridge Prisons, have implicitly recognized that long-term isolation is harmful and needs to be reduced. Prisoners, however – including some who have completed the Step-Down Program – and their families have raised some disturbing issues that point to a need for a closer look. Their allegations include that even prisoners who complete the Step-Down Program can be repeatedly placed back in restrictive housing ("sometimes called segregation or solitary confinement) for indefinite periods ranging from 30 days to 6 months or more, following disciplinary charges that are sometimes fabricated or inflated.
Gay Gardner and Kimberly Jenkins Snodgrass have led IAHR’s work in exposing the human rights abuses at Red Onion, Wallens Ridge, and other Virginia detention facilities. Here is a video in which they describe some of the abuses.
IAHR is working with other advocates to explore how, together, we can address these charges effectively. To learn more about the Virginia Coalition and its mission, here's a word from our Director of Community Engagement, Natasha White.