West Virginia MetroNews – With the 2021 legislative session in West Virginia just weeks away, criminal justice reform is being discussed and priorities are taking shape during a summit in West Virginia. Read the full article.
American Friends Service Committee, WV Council of Churches, WV Center on Budget and Policy, ACLU-WV, and Appalachian Prison Book Project are hosting a virtual summit that focuses on criminal justice reform and feature sessions exploring the significance of poverty before, during, and after incarceration.
Lida Shepherd with American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) told MetroNews that there is interest in making progress towards reform and reducing incarceration. She is optimistic about the session, noting growing concerns she had heard about the money spent on incarceration and county jail bills.
“We’ve seen evidence of that at the state legislature over the past few years where the issue has gotten a lot of bipartisan support. This summit is in an effort to really see more progress,” Shepherd said.
