The West Virginia Criminal Law Reform Coalition is calling on judicial officials throughout the state to make use of the newly passed bail reform law to lower jail populations and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Our call comes just days after multiple cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Southern and South Central regional jails, with hundreds of tests still pending.
ACLU-WV Criminal Law Reform Campaign Director Greg Whittington said, “A virus cannot be contained by a jail’s walls, and adhering to social distancing protocols in these overcrowded settings is impossible. These facilities continue to pose significant risk not only to the people who live and work in them, but also to the surrounding communities. Court officials need to use the leverage they have to greatly reduce our jail populations and keep us all safe.”
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