Virginia saw a 17% drop in its jail population after Gov. Ralph Northam told correctional facilities to find ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“Criminal justice stakeholders across the commonwealth are using the tools available to them to decrease our jail population and address this crisis responsibly, humanely and deliberatively,” Mr. Northam said in a statement Friday. “This is exactly the type of cooperation we need, and I commend our public safety officials and urge them to continue these important efforts.”
The number of inmates entering jails across the state has dropped from 10,000 over a typical two-week period to 4,000 now. Jails also have seen a 67% drop in new commitments from misdemeanors.
Mr. Northam had recommended modifying sentences, diverting offenders from being admitted into jails prior to trial, decreasing the number of low-risk offenders being held without bail and using home electronic monitoring.
Mr. Northam also has included a provision in the state budget that would release inmates with less than a year left in their sentences. The Virginia General Assembly is scheduled to vote on the budget April 22.
• Sophie Kaplan can be reached at skaplan@washingtontimes.com.
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