SALT is in solidarity with The Humanization Project and legislative efforts (SB 378) to protect "Earned Sentence Credits" for the incarcerated. Please carefully read the message below by Shawn Weneta, Policy Strategist-ACLU of Virginia, and take action today.
Act Now 
Imagine this: You are a person who has spent decades of your life behind bars, separated from your family, and missing out on the lives of your loved ones. Not giving up on hope, you've worked hard on transforming yourself, keeping an infraction-free record, acquiring employment skills, and participating in educational and training programs so that once you get out, you are prepared to rebuild your life and get back on your feet. Your hard work over the years paid off, and now you are counting down the days until you can hold your loved ones in your arms. Your family has made plans for your return: They have signed leases, found work for you, scheduled weddings and family reunions, and booked plane tickets. Yet, all these plans can quickly be destroyed.
Virginia's lawmakers are trying to repeal earned sentence credit legislation already signed into law by Virginia's governor in 2020, by sneaking an amendment into budget deliberations during this month's special session. It is not appropriate to legislate through the budget on issues that have already been decided on through the normal legislative process. Doing so would essentially take away a critical mechanism for people in Virginia's prisons to work towards their freedom and return to their communities.
Research has shown that the best way to keep someone from committing crime and returning to prison is to give them incentives to work on their own growth and self-improvement, as well as to provide them with the support and resources they need to succeed upon release. Let's recognize the hard work people put into transforming themselves and return people to the communities as better citizens. Let's protect earned sentence credits rather than perpetuating fear-mongering tactics to undo this much-needed reform.
Your action can help reunite a family that has been apart for far too long and brings someone home after many years of incarceration.
Shawn Weneta
Policy Strategist
ACLU of Virginia
P.O. Box 26464
Richmond, VA 23261
202.360.0931 (cell) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CLICK HERE to send your message to Virginia Legislators.
Those that prefer to send their message to legislators via ACLU Virginia can do so by clicking HERE.