In Virginia, lawmakers approved legislation Thursday that will make organized retail theft a felony and make those convicted of the crime eligible for prison sentences of up to 20 years.
The measures always faced a tough climb in House, where the speaker and a key committee chair are tough-on-crime former prosecutors and victims' rights are a top priority.
Free phone calls for inmates, other prison reforms defeated in General Assembly – 105 9 WLNI-FM wlni.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wlni.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Inmate advocates began the current legislative session in Virginia pushing for a series of prison reforms: free phone calls for inmates, restrictions on solitary confinement, a new ombudsman’s office and an opportunity for some prisoners to ask a judge to modify their sentences.