We, the undersigned residents of Virginia, call on the General Assembly to pass the Youthful Offender Parole Bill to create a fair mechanism for reviewing the sentences of individuals who have proven complete rehabilitation after being sentenced as youth.  Why This Matters:  Our justice system must recognize that teenagers have a unique capacity for growth and maturity. When we sentence children to decades in adult prisons, we cannot simply throw away the key and ignore who they become.   Marquis Russell is a prime example of why our laws must change. Sentenced out of James City County in 2002 for an offense committed as a teenager, he faced a lifetime behind bars. Over the last 26 years in a high-stakes, volatile prison environment, Marquis has maintained a perfect, 100% infraction-free disciplinary record. He has dedicated his life to personal growth, educational programming, and mentoring younger men to keep them out of trouble.  The reckless teenager from 2002 no longer exists. Marquis Russell is a model citizen inside a model prison. Keeping him—and others like him—incarcerated costs taxpayers thousands of dollars a year without increasing public safety. We demand that the House and Senate Courts of Justice Committees pass Youthful Parole Reform. We must judge people by their capacity for redemption, not just by the worst mistake of their youth.  True public safety requires more than incarceration; it requires a bridge back to the community for those who have achieved total rehabilitation. Mr. Russell’s extraordinary 26-year infraction-free record in a maximum-security environment is proof that he possesses the maturity, self-discipline, and character to be an immense asset to our communities.   Marquis’s deepest desire is to use his lived experience to reshape public safety and guide at-risk individuals toward rehabilitation. We are ready to stand on the front lines of advocacy with him. Upon his release, our coalition is fully prepared to integrate Marquis into our ongoing work to champion successful reentry, reduce recidivism, and mentor youth across Virginia.