Commonwealth Classical Liberal Podcast

Criminal Justice Reform, part 1

Listen Later

Episode 19: Criminal Justice Reform, part one. Brian, Chris and Andy return to start a two-part series on criminal justice reform in the Commonwealth of Virginia. They looked at The Classical Liberal Party of Virginia (CLPVA) platform and several specific recommendations, listed below. The team shares some personal experiences and discuss how the current system can be unjust to many Virginians.

  • An end to cash bail for all nonviolent crimes and for defendants who are not flight risks;
  • Elimination of laws in the state code that criminalize actions or behaviors that have no victim;
  • Restorative justice in lieu of incarceration for non-violent crimes, as well as diversion to rehabilitation or other care services; and non-violent criminals currently in prison, either commute their sentences or release into restorative justice programs.
  • Restoration of voting rights for all citizens of the commonwealth, including convicted felons, once their time has been served.

    • The team also celebrates the arrival of Chris’s first child! 


    “Anyone convicted of a felony in Virginia automatically loses their civil rights - the right to vote, serve on a jury, run for office, become a notary public and carry a firearm. The Constitution of Virginia gives the Governor the sole discretion to restore civil rights, not including firearm rights.” 

    -        Virginia.gov: Restoration of Rights Process

     

    Relevant links from this episode include:

    • CATO Institute: Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies (PDF, 2009)
    • American Psychological Association: Rehabilitate or punish? (2003)
    • DOJ: Prison Reform: Reducing Recidivism by Strengthening the Federal Bureau of Prisons
    • DOJ: Punishment vs. Rehabilitation: A Proposal for Revising Sentencing Practices (1991)
    • Virginia.gov: Restoration of Rights Process
    • U.S. Vote Foundation: Misdemeanor convictions in Virginia
    • MJ Biz Daily: Virginia lawmakers OK adult-use cannabis, but will governor sign off? (28 Feb 2024)

      •  

      Learn more!

      • Classical Liberal Party of Virginia Open markets. Open minds. Free people. https://clpvirginia.org
      • Join Us https://clpvirginia.org/join
      • Facebook: Classical Liberal Party of Virginia
      • Instagram: classicalliberalpartyva
      • Twitter: @clpvirginia
      • Chris on Bluesky: @frashure.bsky.social
      • Andy on Threads: @andy_jabbour
      • Andy on Bluesky: @andyjabbour
        • ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        Commonwealth Classical Liberal PodcastBy Classical Liberal Party of Virginia