Team Miyares: Attorney General Miyares Calls for Reevaluation of Sentence Reductions for Violent Offenders Due to Public Safety Concerns

AG Miyares sent a letter to the General Assembly this week identifying the public safety risks and financial strains of allowing violent offenders in Virginia to receive sentence reductions.  The letter breaks down recidivism data from the legislation's first full year, showing that:

Inmates released under the enhanced earned sentence credits have a significantly higher recidivism rate than those under the previous program. In 2023, 2,725 enhanced earned sentence credit offenders were rearrested for new crimes, including 3 capital murders, 8 1st-degree murders, 4 2nd-degree murders, 48 abductions, and 28 rapes and other felony sexual assaults.  1,334 offenders released on enhanced earned sentence credits in 2023 have been convicted of a new crime or probation violation. The EESC system forced the early release of 1,598 offenders categorized as a high risk for violent recidivism and 2,369 offenders categorized as a high risk for general recidivism. Over 50% of the offenders released through EESC and re-convicted had a high or medium risk of general recidivism and close to 50% also had a high or medium risk of violent recidivism.

READ THE FULL LETTER HERE

Cutting sentences for violent crime, especially in cases identified as a high risk for recidivism, is having a detrimental impact on public safety throughout Virginia.  Aggressive sentence reductions for violent criminals and those with high risk for recidivism disregards past and future victims.  Allowing such a practice is not justice, and it is not safe.