Decriminalizing Poverty
Showing 8 of results
August 7, 2020 | Phil Hernandez
The Costs of “Cash Register Justice” in Virginia: Racial Disparities & Poverty Traps
In a quest for revenue, the criminal justice system in the United States has come to rely on court-imposed fines...
July 28, 2020 | Phil Hernandez
Budget Matters: A Look at Police Spending In Virginia Localities
Racial injustice and unequal outcomes permeate our criminal justice system. A long history of discriminatory laws and practices—ranging from the...
July 8, 2020 | Phil Hernandez
Criminal Justice Reform in the Commonwealth: 1.6 Million People in Virginia with a Criminal Record Deserve A Fair Chance To Succeed
In the wake of a national conversation about racism, policing, and criminal justice reform, the time has come for changes...
June 18, 2020 | The Commonwealth Institute
Budget Matters: A Brief Look at Spending Choices by Virginia on Policing
The struggles for racial justice and economic justice are deeply intertwined. For too many residents of Virginia, particularly Black and...
May 21, 2020 | Phil Hernandez
Virginia Supreme Court Provides Emergency Relief from Fines & Fees: Temporary Measures Underscore the Need for Additional Reforms
We all want to build a Virginia where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Accomplishing this goal requires thoughtful policymaking...
November 12, 2019 | Laura Goren
Ending the Cycle of Incarceration for Black Youth
This is a joint report of The Commonwealth Institute and RISE for Youth; co-authored by Gary Broderick...
August 3, 2017 | The Commonwealth Institute
Building Opportunity: A Toolkit for Virginia’s Future
We all want to believe that if we meet our obligations and if we work hard at the things we choose to do that we’ll be rewarded with opportunities to get ahead.
April 4, 2016 | Aaron Williams
The High Price of Virginia’s Low Felony Theft Threshold
Virginia’s felony theft threshold – the value of stolen money or goods above which misdemeanor theft becomes a felony – hasn’t increased since 1980 when it was set at $200. But prices go up, which means a crime that was a misdemeanor even a few years ago could now be a felony just because of inflation.