“Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice
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9/21/12 Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice system 1/2 policeone.com/corrections/articles/5990267-Report-offers-reform-plan-for-Va-juvenile-justice-system/ Like 1 0 Copyright © 2012 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Want affordable access to high-quality video training? Set as Home Page My Profile Register P1 Email User Name: Password: Home > Topics > Corrections > Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice system September 20, 2012 Email Print Comment RSS Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice system The report was designed to "set the record straight" about the juvenile justice system and its impact By Sarah Hutchins The Virginian-Pilot HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Dozens of Hampton Roads families shared their experiences in the juvenile justice system as part of a critical national report released this week. Justice for Families, a national alliance of advocacy organizations, authored the report, which included information collected by Families & Allies of Virginia's Youth, said Almeta Harrington of the state group. Harrington said FAVY used confidential surveys to ask about the experiences of families of youths who have gone through the justice system and adults who did so as children. Harrington said the project questioned 60 to 80 people in Hampton Roads. The report — released Monday and presented Wednesday to the Virginia Board of Juvenile Justice meeting at the Renaissance Academy in Virginia Beach — was designed to "set the record straight" about the juvenile justice system and its impact. "In focus groups and surveys, families described how the rapid growth of prison systems, zero- tolerance policies, and aggressive police tactics coupled with the decline of social services and public education have wreaked havoc on their predominantly low-income communities of color," the report read. Scarce funding for counseling, harsh punishments, and lack of parental involvement in the judicial process have "set up far too many youth for failure," according to the report. "In this context, rather than being a deterrent, the juvenile justice system has functioned as a principal feeder into our nation's vast prison system." Parents surveyed for the report said they were confused by court proceedings, and 91 percent of family respondents said they thought courts should involve parents when deciding what happens to children found guilty. Court fees often forced families to choose between paying them or buying necessities like food, according to the report. Most study participants said they had trouble visiting their incarcerated children, often because facilities were too far away. Unable to keep in touch, parents said, they often did not have time to make plans for when their children were released. The report also included a plan for "a family-driven, trauma-informed youth justice system." Steps included: — Ending zero-tolerance behavior policies in schools. Such policies lead to students being "arrested, suspended, or expelled due to truancy, roughhousing, and other run-of-the-mill adolescent behavior." — Having juvenile courts and corrections agencies outline the rights of families at each stage of the judicial process. — Closing "inherently abusive and dangerous youth prisons." Instead, children who need to be confined should be held in "small, community-based facilities" close to home. — roviding families with peer support and family partners who can help them understand rules surrounding school, arrest, court, probation and placement. Copyright 2012 Virginian-Pilot Companies LLC Back to Corrections Homepage Sponsored by ACMi Systems P1 on Facebook Recommend 7.8k Video: Smug activist TASERed outside courtroom 104 people recommended this. In the gun control debate, the words we use matter (a lot) 39 people recommended this. Dash cam clears Ala. officer accused of rape 21 people recommended this. Facebook social plugin Connect with PoliceOne P1 Mobile Apps TOP EXCLUSIVES From serious to hilarious: One video has it all Use of force: Do you agree with the chiefs? Cops have fewer rights than criminals Tweet Tweet 5 Share Share 1
Transcript of “Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice
9/21/12 Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice system
1/2policeone.com/corrections/articles/5990267-Report-offers-reform-plan-for-Va-juvenile-justice-system/
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Home > Topics > Corrections > Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice system
September 20, 2012 Email Print Comment RSS
Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justicesystemThe report was designed to "set the record straight" about the juvenile justicesystem and its impact
By Sarah HutchinsThe Virginian-Pilot
HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Dozens of Hampton Roads families shared their experiences in the juvenilejustice system as part of a critical national report released this week.
Justice for Families, a national alliance of advocacy organizations, authored the report, which includedinformation collected by Families & Allies of Virginia's Youth, said Almeta Harrington of the state group.
Harrington said FAVY used confidential surveys to ask about the experiences of families of youths whohave gone through the justice system and adults who did so as children. Harrington said the projectquestioned 60 to 80 people in Hampton Roads.
The report — released Monday and presented Wednesday to the Virginia Board of Juvenile Justicemeeting at the Renaissance Academy in Virginia Beach — was designed to "set the record straight"about the juvenile justice system and its impact.
"In focus groups and surveys, families described how the rapid growth of prison systems, zero-tolerance policies, and aggressive police tactics coupled with the decline of social services and publiceducation have wreaked havoc on their predominantly low-income communities of color," the reportread.
Scarce funding for counseling, harsh punishments, and lack of parental involvement in the judicialprocess have "set up far too many youth for failure," according to the report. "In this context, ratherthan being a deterrent, the juvenile justice system has functioned as a principal feeder into our nation's
vast prison system."
Parents surveyed for the report said they were confused by court proceedings, and 91 percent of familyrespondents said they thought courts should involve parents when deciding what happens to childrenfound guilty.
Court fees often forced families to choose between paying them or buying necessities like food,according to the report.
Most study participants said they had trouble visiting their incarcerated children, often because facilitieswere too far away. Unable to keep in touch, parents said, they often did not have time to make plansfor when their children were released.
The report also included a plan for "a family-driven, trauma-informed youth justice system." Stepsincluded:
— Ending zero-tolerance behavior policies in schools. Such policies lead to students being "arrested,suspended, or expelled due to truancy, roughhousing, and other run-of-the-mill adolescent behavior."
— Having juvenile courts and corrections agencies outline the rights of families at each stage of thejudicial process.
— Closing "inherently abusive and dangerous youth prisons." Instead, children who need to be confinedshould be held in "small, community-based facilities" close to home.
— roviding families with peer support and family partners who can help them understand rulessurrounding school, arrest, court, probation and placement.
Copyright 2012 Virginian-PilotCompanies LLC
Back to Corrections Homepage
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P1 on FacebookRecommend 7.8k
Video: Smug activistTASERed outsidecourtroom104 people recommendedthis.
In the gun control debate,the words we use matter(a lot)39 people recommendedthis.
Dash cam clears Ala.officer accused of rape21 people recommendedthis.
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TOPEXCLUSIVES
From serious tohilarious: Onevideo has it all
Use of force: Doyou agree with thechiefs?
Cops have fewerrights thancriminals
TweetTweet 5 ShareShare 1
9/21/12 Report offers reform plan for Va. juvenile justice system
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