Virginia Lawmakers and Sheriffs Demand Parole Transparency as Grant Rate Rises From 1.2% to About 10%
Transparency at the Virginia Parole Board has become a new state-level dispute. State Delegates Terry Kilgore and Terry Austin, joined by Wise County Sheriff Grant Kilgore and Botetourt County Sheriff Matt Ward, published a joint op-ed in Cardinal News on October 21 calling for parole decisions to be more transparent and accountable.
The four wrote that the parole grant rate has risen from about 1.2% in 2025 to roughly 10% since the new board appointed by Governor Abigail Spanberger took office in March, including in cases involving murder convictions. They demanded public release of key information behind the board's decisions: the number of cases considered, the offenses, time served, victim input, the reasons for decisions, and each member's individual voting record.
Virginia abolished parole for most offenses in 1995, so the population still eligible is limited and decisions rest with five governor-appointed members, making shifts in the grant rate closely watched. The op-ed is an opinion appeal, not introduced legislation; whether the General Assembly follows up or the board changes its disclosure practices remains to be seen.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：弗吉尼亚州议会大厦（Richmond）。摄影：Aldenschiller，CC BY-SA 3.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. Photo by Aldenschiller, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
