RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia’s only supermax prison is now one of the first in the nation to have a reentry program. Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced the Intensive Reentry Program at Red Onion State Prison saying it will strengthen public safety. The program launched in July and currently has 20 men participating. Going through a reentry program can reduce the chance of re-offending by a third to a half.
“The repeat violent offenders, the people who are incarcerated for violence, the people who are threats within the prison system, the really dangerous people, they go to Red Onion,” said William Pelfrey, a criminal justice and homeland security professor at VCU.
The reality is only 5% of people incarcerated are serving a life sentence. A majority will re-enter society…