RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond City Justice Center is under scrutiny after a series of inmate death investigations uncovered a pattern of non-compliance with regulatory standards governing the supervision of inmates. This has prompted the Board of Local and Regional Jails (BOLRJ) to require the implementation of a compliance plan to address the issues identified. The violations were found during a review of recent jail deaths, which revealed that the Richmond City Jail consistently failed to adhere to state standards.
The BOLRJ found that jail officers were not conducting the required minimum of two security inspections of inmate housing areas per hour, failing to document all inspections and unusual incidents, and neglecting to ensure that there were no obstructions in bars or windows that could prevent staff from viewing inmates or the entire housing area. These findings contradicted prior public statements made by Richmond Sheriff Antionette Irving, who leads the jail, about her jail’s compliance with supervision protocols.
Between March 2022 and March 2023 alone, the Richmond Jail reported at least five inmate deaths, with four of them occurring in just five months. Sheriff Irving attributed the deaths to security challenges, deputy shortages, and drug issues. Subsequently, the BOLRJ opened investigations into each death, with all five cases currently remaining open and in the adjudication stage. Three of these investigations resulted in findings of supervision violations. Causes of death were confirmed for two inmates as drug overdoses involving fentanyl.
In response to the violations, the BOLRJ approved a compliance plan for the Richmond City Justice Center, outlining several actions for the jail to take over the next two years or longer. These actions include providing a corrective action plan, implementing an automated system to record and document security rounds, conducting internal audits, and training officers on the consequences of forging public records.
Despite the plan, questions have been raised about the jail’s accountability and the adequacy of the proposed solutions. Irving submitted an action plan to the BOLRJ, but it did not include the underlying factors contributing to the violations as requested by the board. Furthermore, the board did not officially determine a causal connection between the violations and the inmate deaths.
The situation at the Richmond City Justice Center raises concerns about the safety and security of inmates, as well as the efficiency of the facility’s record-keeping and accountability practices. As the compliance plan is implemented, stakeholders and the public will be closely monitoring the jail’s progress and the effectiveness of the proposed measures.