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W 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

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(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. R 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— See Department of Juvenile Justice , continued on page 22

Department of Juvenile Justice By Andy Block

V irginia C apitol C onnections , W inter 2016

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