qm_winter

irginia

apitol

onnections

, W

inter

2016

hile the Virginia Department

of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) has

made many improvements to its

system over the years, a comprehensive

analysis of Virginia’s juvenile justice

system, undertaken by the Annie E. Casey

Foundation, has revealed significant

challenges: long periods of incarceration

in state juvenile correctional centers

(facilities) that actually increase recidivism

instead of reducing it; over-reliance on

two large, expensive, and aging facilities

(Beaumont and Bon Air) that do not effectively meet the complex

needs of incarcerated youth; and a lack of alternative placement

options for committed youth that are closer to their homes. As a

result, nearly 40% of DJJ funds are spent on the 9% of youth under

DJJ supervision who are confined in the two facilities—yet nearly

80% of these youth are rearrested within three years of release.

DJJ has a unique opportunity to address these challenges,

improve public safety, create better outcomes for youth, and better

invest limited state resources. In Virginia—and, in fact, across the

United States—declining numbers of youth are coming into the

juvenile justice system. It is because of this shrinking population

that DJJ is poised to transform its system. The transformation

plan consists of three core initiatives: (1) safely

Reduce

the use

of the large and aging juvenile correctional facilities; (2)

Reform

outmoded practices within the facilities and with youth returning

to communities; and (3) develop a plan to

Replace

DJJ’s two

facilities with smaller, regional juvenile correctional centers and a

statewide continuum of local alternative placements and evidence-

based services.

EDUCE

Given the negative recidivism outcomes associated with

commitment to a state facility, the high costs involved with

such commitments, and the research—both local and national—

Department of

Juvenile Justice

By Andy Block

block

See

Department of Juvenile Justice

, continued on page 22