Comments Document

Written Testimony in Support of HB 2647: State Correctional Facilities; use of Restored Housing or Isolated Confinement Restrictions. Steven Mangual Justice Advocate Coordinator, LatinoJustice PRLDEF Member, VA Coalition on Solitary January 23, 2024 Dear Members of the House Subcommittee on Public Safety, Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony in strong support of HB 2647. My name is Steven Mangual, and I serve as a Justice Advocate Coordinator with LatinoJustice PRLDEF. I am also a solitary survivor who has spent the past three years working alongside the Virginia Coalition on Solitary to end the practice of prolonged isolation in our correctional system. Solitary confinement is a violation of the fundamental values we hold as a society: respect for human dignity, the importance of rehabilitation, and the belief in second chances. It is not only inhumane but also counterproductive. International standards, such as those set by the United Nations, define solitary confinement lasting more than 15 consecutive days as torture. Virginia must not allow this harmful practice to persist. The current reality is dire. Prolonged solitary confinement in Virginia prisons has led to severe physical and mental health consequences, including anxiety, depression, self-harm, and even suicide. These practices also harm public safety. Evidence shows that individuals released from solitary confinement are more likely to re-offend, particularly with violent crimes, because isolation exacerbates trauma and strips individuals of the social and rehabilitative tools they need to succeed. HB 2647 offers a clear and practical solution to address this urgent problem. By capping solitary confinement at 15 consecutive days within any 60-day period, requiring regular oversight, and increasing transparency through public reporting, this legislation ensures accountability while prioritizing the well-being of incarcerated individuals and staff. States like Colorado, Maine, and Mississippi have implemented similar reforms with measurable success: violence has decreased, public safety has improved, and taxpayers have saved millions of dollars. Virginia has an opportunity to lead. By passing HB 2647, this General Assembly can create a more humane and effective correctional system, reduce unnecessary costs, and ensure the safety of both incarcerated individuals and the broader community. I also want to emphasize the voices of those most directly impacted. As a survivor of solitary confinement, I can attest to the lasting trauma it causes. For those who remain trapped in isolation today, this bill represents hope—the hope of a system that values rehabilitation over punishment and humanity over cruelty. I urge this committee to vote in favor of HB 2647 and take a critical step toward ending the destructive practice of prolonged solitary confinement in Virginia. Thank you for your consideration and for your commitment to justice and human dignity. Respectfully submitted, Steven Mangual Justice Advocate Coordinator, LatinoJustice PRLDEF Member, VA Coalition on Solitary

Please support this bill, it's the humane thing to do. You will hear arguments against it that people placed in solitary should not be let out if their behavior does not change, because it means they pose the same risk to correctional officers or others. This does not consider the risk that solitary poses to the people it is inflicted upon. It is torture and often makes people feel worse. Just because the person making that argument in front of you thinks solitary until behavior change is the only option, it doesn't mean that it is the only option. There are other, restorative practices that lead to behavior change. Pass this bill so the correctional officers will have to choose those, instead. People are lighting themselves on fire to protest solitary confinement and other horrible conditions at Red Onion. I question the heart and moral integrity of anyone who does not consider this act of protest and votes against this bill. Please support this bill and help save people's lives and their sanity. Thank you.

We strongly support HB1759, which addresses one of the most significant challenges faced by those reentering society after incarceration: the lack of support for a successful transition. This bill ensures that critical educational, vocational, counseling, substance abuse, and reentry services are made available at probation and parole offices statewide. Through our advocacy, we hear stories of individuals desperate to break free from cycles of recidivism but unable to access the tools and guidance they need to succeed. This bill goes further by requiring collaboration with the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to provide post-release job search assistance. Employment is a cornerstone of stability, and the services outlined in this bill can mean the difference between a fresh start and a return to prison. HB1759 is a step toward accountability, dignity, and real rehabilitation. It not only supports returning citizens but also benefits families, communities, and the Commonwealth as a whole. I urge you to vote in favor of this bill. _________________________________________________________________________________ We strongly support HB1589. This bill takes critical steps toward improving the structure and functioning of the Virginia Parole Board. Increasing the Board’s membership to 10 members not only allows for greater diversity of thought and experience but ensures that each case is given the time and attention it deserves. We’ve heard directly from incarcerated individuals who often feel that their futures hinge on rushed decisions by an overburdened system. By expanding the Board and requiring panels of three to four members for deliberation and voting, this bill introduces a more thorough and thoughtful process, particularly for those serving life sentences. This bill also includes vital provisions for transparency and fairness, ensuring that victims’ voices are heard and that those eligible for parole receive a meaningful review. Parole isn’t just a bureaucratic process; it’s about second chances, accountability, and hope. HB1589 strengthens the system for everyone involved, and we urge you to support it. ________________________________________________________________________________ We regularly hear from incarcerated individuals trapped in solitary confinement—many for months or even years. They share stories of overwhelming despair, debilitating anxiety, and the feeling of losing their very sense of humanity. One man described forgetting how to hold a conversation. Another said he hadn’t felt the sun on his skin in years. These are not isolated accounts—this is the daily reality of restorative housing as used by VADOC. Solitary confinement strips people of basic social skills, fractures their mental health, and leaves them traumatized. How can we expect rehabilitation when we take away their ability to function in the world? Instead of restoring lives, this practice destroys them. HB2647 is a critical step toward replacing cruelty with dignity. It’s time we move toward humane, effective solutions that truly restore lives and strengthen public safety. Please support this bill.

I believe we should be able to provide an alternative to prolonged solitary confinement. I know people who have worked in prisons providing medical care, counseling or administrative services. They have explained how specific inmate initiate threats, violent attacks and display a disregard for human life. I realize that guards and other workers are exposed to these stressful conditions. I believe that we should consider the models provided in Germany and the Netherlands providing prison reform programs that work. Examples: Inmates training dogs or horses; Inmates raising livestock; Inmates performing commercial landscaping services that translate into viable job skills upon their release. I also realize that we should protect our guards and other workers from violent acts by placing those repeatedly violent inmates into a clean ventilated area and provide them with ZOOM counseling and specialized programs designed to address their emotional instability without endangering the lives of workers. These inmates in the solitary area should be placed on a program that helps them earn their way back to the regular population by demonstrated, documented steps. An outside non-affiliated agency should evaluate the effectiveness of the solitary confinement program.

I am writing to urge you to support efforts to abolish long-term solitary confinement in Virginia. This practice is inhumane, ineffective, and detrimental to both individuals and society. Decades of research have shown that prolonged isolation causes severe psychological harm, including anxiety, depression, and hallucinations, and it disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations, such as individuals with mental illnesses. These harms persist even after release, making rehabilitation and reintegration into society far more difficult. Moreover, long-term solitary confinement does not improve public safety or deter violence within correctional facilities. States like Colorado and Maine have significantly reduced or eliminated its use without compromising security. Instead, they’ve adopted more humane, evidence-based practices that emphasize mental health care, de-escalation, and meaningful programming for incarcerated individuals. Virginia has an opportunity to lead by example, demonstrating that we value human dignity and recognize the potential for growth and redemption in every individual. Ending long-term solitary confinement is not just a moral imperative but also a practical step toward a safer, more effective criminal justice system. I urge you to support legislation that abolishes this harmful practice and invests in humane alternatives. Together, we can build a justice system that reflects the values of fairness, compassion, and rehabilitation. Thank you for your time and attention to this critical issue. Sincerely, President Yolanda Roussell Stafford County NAACP Stafford, VA. 22554

Please end solitary confinement. The implications of solitude breaks the mental state of the average human. To add incarceration solitary confinement will cause the strongest of wills to break thus bringing one to a savage existence.

Please vote YES to this bill. The overly abused use of solitary confinement brings about life-altering changes to one's mind and abilities to function in society. And considering the majority of those in prison will one day return to society, we should be focusing on other means of rehabilitation that have life-lasting positive effects!

Hello, My name is Tomeka Wallace. I am the mother of Demetrius Wallace , #1705834. My son is currently incarcerated at Red Onion State Prison. He has also been on RHU for about 8 months. To be in a cell for 23 to 24 hours a day is totally insane. We cannot contact him via JPay, nor does he get to call home on a daily basis. Sending mail, well good luck with that. He has had over 30 pieces of mail returned to senders from different advocates and other people. Why? This is due to the staff not giving it to him on purpose. If a man has been tried by a jury and given his time by the judge, why in the world does doing your time have to be so hard? Red Onion is a maximum security prison. So he’s already in confinement for 23 hours and only1 hour out. Then, you go to RHU with no time out and some days without the shower or phone. The food is horrible and the cells are either extremely cold or hot. We know that the living arrangements in prison aren’t going to be like regular living. However, confining someone to a cell, no communication with the outside world is cruel. These men have already been taken away from their families and loved ones, surrounded by testosterone 24/7 is bad enough. Yea, commit the crime , do the time as they say, but doing your time in environments that are racist, demeaning and horrifying isn’t how it should be. An animal has more freedom and rights than any black or brown American male. If someone has their dog or any animal chained or locked up for a certain amount of time, you can get animal cruelty charges. Now, these are animals that can actually survive harsh conditions and weather in most cases. Yet, a human being incarcerated is treated way worse in prison. It’s almost like they are being tried again once placed in prison, especially the racist ones that have an agenda. Mentally, the mind is wandering and then thoughts of suicide, self harm, anger, depression and frustration starts to take control. If one is not strong, they will do anything or just take themselves out. This is all forced choices based on the situation they have been put in. Physically, the body is now getting somewhat malnourished as they don’t have the same access to foods they had before. They aren’t given medical attention as needed and some people actually die in situations like this because they where overlooked and not treated properly. To think that this could happen to anyone the way our Judicial system is set up. The average human being cannot sit still or wants to be confined for more than 4 hours. If you work a job, you may get up and move around for a bit. Jobs give people breaks in between. Imagine, 4 walls, a piss pot and a cot for hours, days, weeks, months and years, you would totally loose your mind. But because we are talking about criminals, you all feel they are getting what the deserve and if they loose their mind, it’s ok because they are not human in the systems eyes because they broke the law. The Bible speaks of crime, so we will never escape that. But to be given time should feel like it’s the end of the world especially when you have a release date to come home. Even if, you are still a human being who deserves to be treated with dignity and not judged all over again while incarcerated. This is trauma and causes PTSD and when finally free, those conditions will forever remain in their mind.

As an RN of 40 years, I see solitary confinement as a method of torture. It is not a method to manage housing . Restorative housing is a euphemism. People who have experienced this traumatic method of control, will have long term ill health. Anderson (2025) reported that prison populations have increased by 2% since 2022. This leads to overcrowding, understaffing, and the use of solitary confinement to control, the frustration, and anger as a result of cramming human beings into the badly built environment. Instead of investing in this already vulnerable population, we are ignoring their plight. This is unethical. Furthermore, families who have members imprisoned suffer adverse childhood experiences and poverty leading to long term chronic health conditions that costs states more in the long term (Felitti et al, 1998: Burke Harris, 2018). There also needs to be more oversight to prevent the abuse and neglect of prisoners. Please support this bill to restrict the use of solitary confinement to manage human beings. References Anderson, M. (2025). The prison population is going up as prisons struggle with staffing and overcrowding. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/10/nx-s1-5203113/the-prison-population-is-going-up-as-prisons-struggle-with-staffing-and-overpopulation#:~:text=ANDERSON%3A%20The%20prison%20population%20has,worse%20health%20care%20for%20prisoners. Burke Harris, N. (2018). The deepest well: Healing the long-term effects of childhood adversity. Mariner Books. Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study. Am J Prev Med. 1998;14(4):245-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0749- 3797(98)00017-8 Yours, Susan Wetherall BSN RN CMSRN

I am testifying on behalf of the Justice & Witness Action Network – VA of the United Church of Christ. Our denomination recognizes prolonged solitary confinement, as defined by ‘The Mandela Rules,’ as a form of torture and condemn its use. Calling it "restrictive housing" or "restorative housing" does not change the fact that it is de facto solitary confinement. No one, no matter what they’ve done, deserves to be subjected to such degrading treatment. It is a violation of the inherent dignity and humanity endowed upon all of us by our Creator. While we recognize that there may be circumstances in which an individual needs to be isolated for their own safety or that of others, there needs to be strict regulation and oversight as well as humane, rehabilitative alternatives to solitary confinement. We urge you to vote for this bill.