The plight of prisoners in California has received extensive coverage since a class action lawsuit alleged bad medical care behind bars violated the U.S. Constitution. In Virginia, however, there has been little reporting on the quality of health care for about 31,000 people in state prisons.
The U.S. locks up more individuals per capita than any other country in the world. We have 2.2 million people behind bars – up 500% from 30 years ago. This situation raises important questions for policy makers, and it’s a rich area for journalistic exploration.
As prison populations continue to increase and budgets get tighter, reforming the system will become ever more important.
Parole is allowed under a Virginia rule that enables the state to release people over 60 who have served at least ten years. More than a thousand inmates have been eligible under this geriatric provision, but only 40 have been released since 2001. One key question: Where would they go?
