Criminal Justice

Parole in the Criminal Justice System: What’s Its Role?

September 1, 2015

Last week, Vikrant Reddy, senior research fellow at Stand Together Trust, sat down with WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi Show in Virginia to discuss the necessity of criminal justice reform and why the issue is garnering national support. With the United States housing 25 percent of the world’s prison population, Reddy talked with guest host Jonathan Capeheart about the possibility of re-establishing parole in Virginia, the impact of keeping nonviolent offenders behind bars, and the role businesses can play in helping ex-offenders re-enter society. Audio of the interview can be found here.

Reddy’s conversation follows an appearance before the National Black Chamber of Commerce, where he addressed the substantial role the business community can have in restored citizens’ re-entry into society. Last Thursday, Reddy spoke before the Virginia Commission on Parole Review, which was established over the summer by Governor Terry McAuliffe to investigate whether the state should reinstate parole after the Virginia General Assembly abolished the practice 20 years ago.

Stand Together Trust is committed to criminal justice reform. On Sunday, our vice president of research, Will Ruger, co-authored an op-ed on smart justice reforms in Virginia.  This week, we’ll be in Indiana to discuss second chances in the Hoosier State, and this November, we’re hosting the Advancing Justice summit in New Orleans. You can read more about our work on criminal justice and policing reform here.