Public News Service

The number of youths held in juvenile justice facilities fell by 75% between 2000 and 2022. (Jan H. Anderson/Adobe Stock)

Study: Youth incarceration is declining but challenges remain

Youth incarceration has declined significantly in Virginia and around the country since 2000, according to a new report but disparities and …

Undocumented immigrants contribute in many ways to Virginia's economy, including through farm work. (PaolikPhotos/Adobe Stock)

Study: Undocumented immigrants contribute hundreds of millions to VA tax coffers

A new study sheds light on the tax contributions paid by undocumented immigrants. In Virginia, they contribute nearly $700 million to state and local …

Vice President Kamala Harris gives remarks at a reception celebrating Black History Month. (Lawrence Jackson/The White House)

Black women ramp up political organizing in VA, swing states

Black women are ramping up their political organizing efforts in Virginia and other swing states across the country. It's a key demographic for …

California and New York are the only states with a reparations task force. While New York's is just getting started, California's commission issued a report calling for some compensatory reparations based on numerous disparities like health and housing. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Philanthropies examining equity and past actions

A new report examines how philanthropy in and around Virginia came at the expense of Black people. The "Cracks in the Foundation" report noted …

North Carolina farm workers have been organizing in similar fashion to those in Virginia. An Oxfam study found one in four workers is paid less than the federal minimum wage, and more than half aren't paid enough to meet their basic needs. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Rights Group Helps VA Migrant Workers Unionize

Migrant farm workers in Virginia are organizing for better workplace treatment. The Farm Labor Organizing Committee has developed a union with two …

According to research from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Virginia police estimate there are 31,000 active protective orders on file at any given time in the state. (Adobe Stock)

VA Group Working to Aid Domestic Violence Victims, Survivors

A Virginia group is working to ensure abusers can't use the courts to keep harming their victims. Commonly called "abusive litigation," these come …

According to research from the Council on Community Justice Task Force on Long Sentences, people serving long sentences make up more than half of the U.S. incarcerated population. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Making Longer Prison Sentences 'More Effective'

A new report outlines ways that states like Virginia could rethink long prison sentences and how to use them more sparingly. The Council on …

A report by the Virginia Coalition for Open Government finds some reasons state agency websites weren't in compliance with Virginia's Freedom of Information Law is they didn't say what kind of records they maintained, didn't say what records the agency withholds, and there was no link to FOIA on the agency's homepage. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA State Agencies, Public Colleges Not Complying with FOIA

A new report finds Virginia's state agencies are failing to post key Freedom of Information Act links. The report from the Virginia Coalition for …

Attorney Paul Goldman's suit to compel the state to hold new elections has earned the support of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, Virginia NAACP and the League of Women Voters of Virginia, according to the Associated Press. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Seeks to Push Virginia to Hold New Elections for House of Delegates

Virginia may host its third election cycle in as many years for the House of Delegates, pending a decision from a three-judge panel in the U.S…

A new report looks at policies like eminent domain, which displaced historic Black communities in Northern Virginia. Here, a trailer camp serves removed Black residents in Arlington, 1942. (Library of Congress)

Report: Biden Policies Could Correct Historic Inequities in Northern VA

RICHMOND, VA - An affluent area of Virginia blocked communities of color from accessing basic needs for generations, according to a new report…

Black farmland ownership peaked in 1910 at 16 to 19 million acres, according to the USDA's Census of Agriculture. A century later, 90% of that land had been lost. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Virginia's Black Farmers Push Lawmakers to Provide Debt Relief

RICHMOND, Va. -- Farmers of color are urging Congress to end a slew of lawsuits delaying a loan-forgiveness program designed to make amends for years …

A new report that examines racial gaps between Black and white Virginians shows 60% of majority-Black neighborhoods in the state have eviction rates greater than 10%, quadruple the national average. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Universities Offer New Cures for Closing Virginia’s Racial Gaps

RICHMOND, Va. - In response to last year's protests against racial injustice across the country, a new report shows cities such as Richmond are …

Analyzing body camera footage from more than 100 police officers and 250 audio clips, a new study finds officers spoke to Black men with less warmth, respect and ease compared to white men. (Adobe stock)<br />

New Virginia Research Center to Connect Police, People of Color

PETERSBURG, Va. - As Virginia law enforcement agencies adjust to a number of new policing laws this year, a new state think tank represents the first …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

RICHMOND, Va. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

Susan Bro started the Heather Heyer Foundation to fight for social justice in honor of her daughter, who died during a 2017 protest against white supremacists. (Ben Rekhi)

Documentary Highlights Hope in Healing Nation’s Divides

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- With former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial demonstrating deep divisions in the nation, a new documentary released …

Ex-Amazon Worker Sues Over Lack of Pandemic Protections

RICHMOND, Va. -- A former Amazon employee is suing the e-commerce giant for failing to provide safe working conditions for Black and Brown employees …

A new report shows that Black women hold almost 50% more student loan debt than white men. (Adobe stock)

Campaign Urges Candidates to Focus on Black Student Debt Crisis

RICHMOND, Va. -- Concerned student debt hits Black students hardest, the NAACP is taking to Twitter today in a campaign to make sure presidential …

La legislaci�n actualmente atorada en el Congreso patrocinar�a programas de capacitaci�n para maestros y otras ayudas financieras para futros profesores de color, para ayudar a diversificar la fuerza educativa en la educaci�n. (Adobe Stock)

Grupo Presiona al Congreso para Fondear Programa para la Diversidad en la Enseñanza

RICHMOND, Va. -- Una coalición de educadores y oficiales presiona al Congreso para fondear la iniciatdiva H.R. 4288, en favor de entrenar má…

Law enforcement officers with no visible identification wait for protesters in downtown Washington, D.C., on Sat., June 6. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Demand Armed Officers in Protests Show Badges

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Despite a weekend of peaceful protests in Washington, D.C., over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, civil liberties …

Demonstrators in Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House, square off against riot police on Tuesday. (Courtesy of Brandy Boyce)

Washington Protesters Decry Police Use of Military-Style Tactics

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Just two days after peaceful protesters were dispersed with tear gas and rubber bullets near the White House, demonstrators in the …

Groups are urging Gov. Ralph Northam to allow voters to submit absentee ballots in upcoming elections without having to give an excuse. (ACLU)<br /><br />

VA Asked to Boost Health-Care Workforce, Guarantee Safe Voting

RICHMOND, Va. -- As COVID-19 continues to spread in Virginia, AARP Virginia is calling on Gov. Ralph Northam to take steps to increase the health …

Virginia is poised to pass a law allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses, which Democrats in the Legislature had tried to pass for years. (Adobe Stock)

VA Poised to Aid Undocumented Immigrants with Driver's Licenses

RICHMOND, Va. - Several thousand undocumented immigrants in Virginia could get driver's licenses if a bill passed in the General Assembly this week …

Critics say Amazon's Ring partnerships with police departments can lead to civil rights abuses. (Adobe stock)

Activists Press Lawmakers to Stop Amazon Ring’s Police Alliances

RICHMOND, Va. — Civil rights groups are sounding the alarm about Amazon's Ring doorbell system. Representatives from 30 activist groups …

Fort Monroe in Hampton, Va., is the site where the first ship bearing enslaved Africans landed in the English colonies in August 1619. (National Park Service)

400th Anniversary of Birth of U.S. Slavery to be Commemorated in VA

HAMPTON, Va. – Events marking the 400th anniversary of the birth of slavery in the United States will take place in Hampton this weekend…

The Natural Gas Act governs land seizures, allowing for pipeline companies to invoke eminent domain to build pipelines. (Pixabay)

Property Owners Seek Justice As Pipeline Companies Seize Land

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Property owners are fighting back against pipeline companies who seize their land through eminent domain. In 2015…

Local officials claim environmental justice and climate change are the new civil rights issues of our day. (Public Domain Pictures)

Officials Celebrate MLK Day by Pushing for Environmental Change

RICHMOND, Va. – On Tuesday next week, civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. will be honored on his 90th birthday. In Virginia, local …

Monuments to the Confederacy have become especially polarizing since nine black parishioners were gunned down by an avowed white supremacist at a church in Charleston, S.C., in 2015. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Is Government Spending Too Much to Guard Confederate Cemeteries?

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Last year's deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville left the Department of Veterans Affairs footing the bill …

National Week of Conversation (Oct. 5-13) events include virtual and in-person conversations across the country to help people connect with each other. (Pixabay)

Campaign Encourages #ListenFirst on Difficult Conversations

RICHMOND, Va. – This week, a national movement is helping people to listen and exchange ideas instead of shunning others with differing views…

Refusal of treatment for serious medical needs is

Hepatitis C Ruling in VA Could Impact Prisons Across Country

RICHMOND, Va. — After being refused the most up-to-date medical care for Hepatitis C while incarcerated at the Buckingham Correctional Center…

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is asking residents to

In Charlottesville, Counter-Protesters Could Outnumber White Nationalists

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – With a state of emergency declared ahead of the one-year anniversary of violence that sprung from a white nationalist …

Virginia House Republican lawmakers failed to override Gov. Ralph Northam�s veto of HB 1257. (Maleka Ali/Twenty20)

Immigrant-Rights Group Celebrates Failed Veto Override on Sanctuary Cities

RICHMOND, Va. – During the special session on the state budget and Medicaid, Republicans in the House of Delegates tried but failed to get the …

Faith leaders and people of faith will meet at Virginia's state Capitol, calling for environmental justice in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Pixabay)

VA Faith Leaders Honor King's Legacy in Pipeline Fight

NEWPORT, Va. - Faith leaders in Virginia say they're continuing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by fighting for environmental justice for the …

Every decade, with the results of the U.S. Census in hand, Virginia's legislative districts are drawn. (OneVirginia2021)

VA Redistricting Reformers Push for End to Gerrymandering

RICHMOND, Va. — The borders of certain voting districts in Virginia could be changed more than state lawmakers may have expected. A group known …

In 1619, Virginia was home to the first Representative Legislative Assembly in the Americas. (Fort Monroe Authority)

Federal Government Recognizes 400 Years of African-American History

HAMPTON, Va. — Fort Monroe, the first national monument dedicated by Former president Barack Obama, is one of many historic sites in Virginia …

The belief in discrimination against white people has grown since Barack Obama took office as president, according to researchers. (Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force/Wikipedia)

Research Finds Belief in Bias Against White Americans

RICHMOND, Va. – The number of white Americans who believe they face discrimination is on the rise. According to a recent poll, 55 percent of …

Alexei Wood is the only journalist still facing felony charges after being swept up in the arrests of rioters at President Donald Trump's inauguration. (Alexei Wood/Youtube)

Civic Rights, Free Speech at Issue in Photojournalist’s Felony Trial

RICHMOND, Va. – Press groups and photojournalist Alexei Wood say there are troubling implications to Wood's trial on charges of multiple …

Thousands of U.S. immigrants from Central America, who've had protected status for decades, lost it last week. (Pixabay)

Decades of Protected Immigration Status Abruptly Ended

RICHMOND, Va. -- Latino groups are speaking out against last week's decision by the Trump administration to end legal status for some people from …

Support for the death penalty is at its lowest point since 1972, and prosecutors are increasingly seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole. (CAC/Flickr)

Support for Death Penalty Lowest in 45 Years

RICHMOND, Va. -- The number of Americans who favor the death penalty continues to drop, with a new Gallup poll finding the level of support is at its …

A new study finds white children in Virginia get a much better start than Hispanic or African-American children. (Pixabay)

Report Finds Huge Racial and Ethnic Disparities For VA Children

RICHMOND, Va. – A major new report on child well-being shows huge disparities by race and ethnicity in Virginia. The Annie E. Casey …

A new report says a Latina woman would have to earn two additional college degrees in order to have median earnings similar to a white man. (Pixabay)

More Latinos Go to College; Job and Pay Struggles Remain

RICHMOND, Va. – More Latinos are going to college, but they're losing ground in the labor market, according to a new report. The study…

In 1993, the Great Mass Mooning of the KKK helped mark the last Klan rally at the Texas State Capitol. (Hank Sinatra/ACTV/Youtube)

Historic 1993 Protest Got Cheeky with The Klan

RICHMOND, Va. — Most Americans will be gazing up at the sky today for a view of the total solar eclipse - when the moon slips between the Earth …

Organizers have held or are planning almost 1,000 Stand With Charlottesville events nationally, including one in front of the White House. (Ted Eytan/Wikipedia)

Charlottesville Folks See Outpouring of Support at Nearly 1,000 Events Nationally

RICHMOND, Va. – People around the country have held or are planning nearly 1,000 Stand With Charlottesville events - and folks in town know it…

Pastors in Charlottesville say they've been working to avoid the kind of violence the city saw over the weekend. (ACLU of Virginia/Twitter)

The Faith Community’s Role in Charlottesville

RICHMOND, Va. -- Even before this weekend's violent clashes, members of the faith community in Charlottesville say they have been trying to, "stand …

NARAL has been advocating for state laws to protect contraceptive coverage. (Pixabay)

ACA Birth Control Mandate In Trump Crosshairs

RICHMOND, Va. -- Reproductive-rights advocates say a leaked Trump administration draft regulation threatens birth control insurance coverage for …

AG's Sentencing Order a "Step Backwards" in Justice Reform?

RICHMOND, Va. – A directive from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions could shift additional burdens onto Virginia's courts and prisons…

The U.S. Census Bureau says a draft category of questions on sexual orientation and gender identity was submitted to Congress in error, and has deleted it. (Bureau of the Census)

LGBTQ Category Dropped From Census

RICHMOND, Va. -- Some members of the LGBTQ community say they're feeling “erased” after learning that proposed questions on sexual …

A new study suggests the disproportionate number of African Americans behind bars in Virginia is feeding the state's educational achievement gap. (Prison Policy Initiative)

Report: Reduce Incarceration To Narrow Achievement Gap

RICHMOND, Va. — Widespread incarceration of African Americans during the drug war feeds the achievement gap in U.S. schools, according to a new …

Resettlement groups such as the West Virginia Interfaith Refugee Ministries are considering what to do in light of President Trump's travel ban. (WV IRM)

Travel Ban Sparks Protests, Confusion

RICHMOND, Va. -- President Trump's executive order barring travelers from certain countries is sparking protests and confusion in Virginia and around …

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VA: Civil Rights