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Fourth annual Mother’s Day at city jail

Posted at 12:05 AM, May 14, 2012
and last updated 2012-05-14 00:05:33-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) Today was the fourth Mother's Day that the Richmond’s Sheriff's Office has brought together certain female inmates who show good behavior with their children and families.

"Each time that this happens, one of the children or one of the parents gets a different understanding, a new understanding, a deeper understanding, of what love is,” said Col. Alonzo Pruitt, Chief of Chaplans Richmond Sheriff's Office.

“That we don't stop loving people because they've made mistakes.”

Each year, inmates have to apply to be a part of the program.  The Sherriff's Office says that in four years they've never had a repeat applicant. 

That doesn't mean that every inmate that attends this program gets out of jail and stays out, but tears of joy bear witness to the impact spending time with family can have.

“Having these visits really reinforces how important it is to make the kinds of choices that make it possible to keep on loving them on a day by day basis,” said Pruitt.