This story was reported and written by VPM News.
Prison reform advocates and loved ones of incarcerated people have voiced frustration with what they described as a lack of action and communication from the Virginia Department of Corrections and Prison Ombudsman Andrea Sapone regarding accusations of abuse.
In two separate recent meetings, Sapone explained that her staff can't look into all of the complaints it's getting, including claims of collective punishments and lengthy lockdowns.
Last week, Sapone held a stakeholder meeting to listen to people share their views and concerns with her office. And on Thursday, Sapone spoke in front of the state Corrections Oversight Committee.
Tyraecia Williams' son is being held in Red Onion State Prison in Wise County. She spoke at both meetings, claiming that her son has had to strip naked to get his meals and has faced collective punishment.
Williams told VPM News last week that there needs to be more independent oversight and investigations: "If they're not going to do anything, then we need to find out who is over top of them to make something move, shake, shiver."
Angela White, who started House of Dreams ReEntry Services, said Thursday that her husband is incarcerated and that she hasn't gotten a response from the ombudsman since last year: "So, help me understand what's the purpose of this system and nobody gets a response back. I don't understand"
On Thursday, Sapone said state code limits what her office can investigate, and that her staff has been so inundated by prison complaints that more staff are needed to simply put them in the system.
Some committee members appeared unclear on the investigative authority and scope of the ombudsman office, which Sapone explained has received complaints it can't review — such as allegations of prolonged lockdowns and collective punishment.
Sapone said during last week's stakeholder that her office is getting several duplicate complaints that it still needs to process one-by-one. Many are also coming in before going through the proper process first.
"This has been an ongoing challenge, but we are still receiving a large number of complaints and allegations which have not first utilized the Department of Corrections' administrative remedies process. And so that is one reason that that complaint may not be resolved or why our office may not respond to that complaint," Sapone said.
Kenneth Hunter, who organizes higher education efforts in prisons for the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, acknowledged the challenges Sapone's office has met during its first year. But he said that the ombudsman's current system doesn't do enough to address critical complaints.
"There's a concern about a gap between the reality of the situation and what you all understand it to be," Hunter told the oversight committee Thursday. "I implore you to ask for information from folks who can give you direct experience."
Virginia's inspector general, Michael Westfall, said complaints deemed as critical currently are referred to VADOC to address them. Westfall added that a budget request for more ombudsman staff hasn't been made but discussions have taken place with the administration about what the office needs to boost oversight and handle complaints.
Sen. Dave Marsden (D–Fairfax), one of the oversight committee's co-chairs, stressed that the ombudsman's office is "still in its infancy."
"We learn as we go and we improve as we learn," Marsden said after Sapone's presentation was over Thursday.
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