Advocates, former inmates and their families will hold a rally for prison reform from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Bell Tower on Capitol Square, it has been announced.

The event will include calls for restoring parole that was abolished in 1995 to promote early release, for outlawing solitary confinement and for reducing some prisoners’ lengthy sentences, according to the Virginia Prison Justice Network.

The rally will feature statements from Virginia prisoners and remarks by former prisoners and family members.

Also speaking will be representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and Resource Information Help for the Disadvantaged and Disenfranchised, a prisoner advocacy organization.

The rally will follow the Women’s March and Expo RVA from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center at 3001 N. Boulevard.

This is the second year that VPJN, a coalition of advocacy groups, has held a rally and organizers are optimistic about prospects that their issues will be addressed as the result of a new federal prison reform law and concern about the state Department of Corrections’ willingness and ability to carry out court-approved settlements.

Last month, Congress passed the First Step Act aimed at reducing federal sentences and prison terms for some drug offenders and promoting increased efforts to do more to prepare federal prisoners for release and to connect them to community-based support groups.

Meanwhile, a federal judge last week found the state Department of Corrections failed to carry out promises to improve health care at the Fluvanna Women’s Correctional Center near Charlottesville.

The judge ordered the department to hire 78 nurses and health care workers to address the problems that have led to the deaths of several inmates and poor care for others.