Lawmakers are rejecting an effort to end solitary confinement. They're moving forward with a study instead.
Advocates for ending solitary confinement in Virginia prisons were hopeful they would be able to get a bill through a Republican-led House Committee. But instead the committee rejected the bill and decided to conduct a study instead.
Delegate Candi Mundon King is a Democrat from Prince William County.
"In Virginia, we create studies when we don't have the courage and the bravery to do the right thing," Mundon King said.
Delegate Wren Williams is a Republican from Patrick County.
"I take extreme offense to the fact that we were considered to be cowards for the fact that we are interested in turning this into a study," Williams said. "Nobody has explained to me what happens to Red Onion if we were to end this solitary confinement. Nobody has told me what happens when police officers need to separate somebody because they can't stop hurting others that they are in the same cell with."
Mundon King responded that being a new lawmaker is not really a good excuse.
"A tree is known by the fruit that it bears, and if you are not courageous enough to do the right thing then we see the fruit displayed here," Mundon King said.
Advocates are hopeful that the study might finally yield some progress next year.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
