News

Virginia General Assembly Considers Juvenile Justice Bills

The Virginia General Assembly session started January 13th, and will continue through March 13th.  State senators and delegates have introduced a number of bills that could affect the juvenile justice system and youth involved in it.  The action is fast and furious, with daily changes.  Here are some ways to keep up with what's happening:

Families & Allies of Virginia's Youth has a page on Richmond Sunlight that lists bills we are tracking.  You can click on bill titles to get more information and to see and leave comments.  Richmond Sunlight is a good resource for looking up and tracking bills and learning about the General Assembly. 

The Mid-Atlantic Juvenile Defender Center blog reports on bills and other juvenile justice-related items.  Using the category tags, you can also see MAJDC's advocacy positions on some bills.

The Don't Throw Away the Key campaign web site has updates and action steps on bills relating to youth being transferred to the adult justice system.

For the most up-to-the-minute bill status, see the General Assembly's Legislative Information Service site.  It has just about anything you need to know about the General Assembly.  You can also check the dockets (schedules) for the Senate Courts of Justice Committee and the House Courts of Justice Committee, where most juvenile justice bills are first considered.

You can find out who your state senator and delegate are on the Virginia General Assembly's "Whose My Legislator?" page.


Big Turnout for Crime Commission Meeting!

Dozens of people turned out for the Virginia State Crime Commission meeting on December 15th.  Many came by bus from Norfolk and Northern Virginia, and were joined by allies and advocates from Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Hanover, Petersburg and Richmond.

As expected, the Crime Commission members said they won't recommend any changes to the law until they get more information.  After Department of Juvenile Justice Director Barry Green made a compelling case for some changes now, Delegate Dave Albo declared that there is "zero point zero percent chance" of any changes to Virginia's transfer laws coming through his committee in the House of Delegates next year. 

We held a press conference afterward, and noted that there is "zero point zero percent chance" that we will give up on this issue!  Special thanks to the following family members and concerned community members and advocates who commented: Almeta Harrington, Patricia Beck, Eileen Grey, Yvonne Byrd, Hannah Coltrain, John Morgan, W.E. Clark, and Walter Fore.

Media coverage included these stories:

Parents Seek Juvenile Justice Changes, NBC 12, December 15, 2009. This story links to a poll question about whether it's too easy for youth to be tried as adults in Virginia.  Please vote "yes" in the poll! .

Virginia panel hears about juvenile justice disparities, ‘sexting’ laws, Richmond Times Dispatch, December 16, 2009.

Don’t Charge Juveniles as Adults, Advocates Urge, Virginian Pilot, December 16, 2009.

Va Crime Panel Extends Juvenile Justice Study, Associated Press, December 15, 2009.

State Lawmakers Stuck on Juvenile Courts, NBC 29, December 15, 2009.

Thanks again to everyone who worked on this effort!

Natural Bridge Juvenile Correctional Center Closes

This minimum security facility has closed, due to state budget cuts.  Youth at the facility were moved to other, more secure facilities.  For more information, go to our blog site.

You can also post messages to a forum that one of our members has created so that people can keep in touch with the situation: http://naturalbridgeclosing.freeforums.org/index.php

Rep. Bobby Scott, Dwayne Betts Speak to Overflow Crowd in Richmond

About 250 people attended R. Dwayne Betts' reading and book-signing event at the Library of Virginia the evening of August 12.  Special guest Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) talked about ways to reduce youth crime by spending money on prevention and early intervention instead of on incarceration.  He told how the Youth PROMISE Act will help communities to make these smart-on-crime choices.  For more information, see Rep. Scott's web page on the Youth PROMISE Act.

Author and poet Dwayne Betts spoke eloquently and read from his book, A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison.  He received a standing ovation.  Dwayne's book exposes the complex realities of adult prison as experienced by a teenager who grew to manhood inside them.  Last night, he noted emphatically that prison did not shape him into the man he is today.  Today's USA Today had an article on him and a video of him reading some of his poetry.

At the reception after Dwayne's talk, several people donated copies of his book for incarcerated youth to read, and many signed up for information about our "Don't Throw Away the Key" campaign to reduce the number of young people sent to the adult criminal system.

Earlier in the day, Dwayne spoke with youth in the Richmond Detention Center and in Beaumont Juvenile Correctional Center.  At Beaumont, about 38 youth from the maximum security side of the facility listened intently and asked Dwayne insightful questions.  Families & Allies members and others donated or pledged money, and we were able to give 15 copies of Dwayne's book to the libraries at Beaumont!  

We're planning to give additional copies to the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Home ("Landmark"), where Dwayne was held before he was moved to the adult system, and half a dozen to Culpeper Juvenile Correctional Center, where many of the young men have been tried as adults.  With multiple copies at a facility, several young people can read the book and discuss it together.

Thanks to all who donated and also all who attended the event! 

Norfolk Community Youth Justice Jam Is A Huge Success

Young people holding a "Don't Throw Away the Key" sign at the Community Youth Justice Jam in Norfolk.  At right is poetry winner Richard Love.

The Community Youth Justice Jam in Norfolk on July 24th was a great success.  About 200 people of all ages attended and heard a panel of juvenile justice reform experts, including a local juvenile court judge, public defender, and a prosecutor.  One of the major topics was the transfer of young people to the adult criminal system.

The prosecutor, Linda Bryant, said that their office is looking closely at how they transfer youth to the adult system, and will no longer use the threat of transfer as a way to get kids to plead guilty in juvenile court.  Later this year, an expert on adolescent development will train the entire Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's office.

A very lively poetry competition followed the panel discussion, with young poets performing poetry with the theme of justice.

The Virginian-Pilot reported on the event.  Thanks to all who participated in the event!

Crime Commission Update

The room was packed for the Virginia State Crime Commission's June 25th meeting to hear speakers on Virginia's process of trying youth as adults.  At least three dozen of those who attended were community members and families wearing stickers with the slogan "Don't Throw Away the Key!" as a sign of their concern about youth tried as adults.

The meeting featured a presentation on teen brain development by Vincent P. Culotta, Ph.D.  He stressed the need for a separate justice system for youth, based on scientific findings.  

Meredith Farrar-Owens of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission showed startling numbers on youth convicted in circuit court (adult court).  From fiscal year 2001 to 2008, 4,591 young people were convicted as adults for acts they committed while they were under 18.  In FY 2008, 697 were convicted.  This did not include the number who were charged as adults and found not guilty or had their charges dismisssed.

Finally, Crime Commission staff member Holly Boyle gave an update on the Commission's study of transferring youth to the adult criminal system.  She noted that juvenile court judges, public defenders, circuit court judges and court services unit directors all overwhelmingly (73-80%) favor allowing juvenile court judges the sole discretion to transfer youth to the adult court.  Not surprisingly, the Commonwealth's Attorneys did not agree, since this change would mean that they would lose the sole discretion to transfer for certain offenses

Several media outlets covered the event.  Here are links to the coverage.

State Reviews Number of Juveniles Convicted as Adults - WVIR -TV
Crime Panel Discusses Juveniles, Sex Offenders - Associated Press
Crime Commission Gets Juvenile Justice Facts -  WBBT-TV
Virginia Crime Commission to Take Up Juvenile Justice Issues - The Virginian-Pilot

We Stood Up For Youth and Families!

Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and about three dozen family members, concerned community members, and other advocates attended an evening public hearing held by the Virginia Board of Juvenile Justice.  Eleven people took the opportunity to speak to the Board members and DJJ staff who were present. 

We asked the Board to adopt regulations that will help families support their children so that they have a fair chance to grow into responsible adults.  Here's a one-page summary of what we asked for.  Or read the5-page full version of our request.

A lot of people don't believe families or communities care when our children are locked up.  We showed that we do care!  Thanks to everyone who attended, and especially to those who spoke out.

Families & Allies Executive Director Awarded Soros Justice Fellowship

The Open Society Institute awarded a Soros Justice Fellowship to Liane Rozzell, Executive Director of Families & Allies of Virginia's Youth.  She is one of 17 fellows who received the awards.  The 18-month fellowship will enable her to focus on building Families & Allies into a sustainable and effective force for reforming Virginia's juvenile justice system.  Read the full news release for more about the fellowships, or go here to read about Liane and her Soros Justice Fellowship project. [Photo © Open Society Institute.]

Families & Allies Founder on the Radio

Liane Rozzell, Executive Director of Families & Allies of Virginia's Youth, was a guest on "Charlottesville—Right Now! with Coy Barefoot."  Listen to the podcast here.