VIRGINIA - IMPACTS OF THE FIRST YEAR OF THE 1977 JUVENILE CODE REVISION

• NCJ Number: 52194
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 27 pages
• Corporate Author: Virginia Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CHANGES IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE REVISION OF VIRGINIA'S JUVENILE CODE IN 1977 ARE ASSESSED.

Abstract

SIX SIGNIFICANT PROVISIONS WERE INCLUDED IN THE 1977 REVISION: (1) ALL COMPLAINTS FOR THE JUVENILE COURT WERE REQUIRED TO BEGIN WITH THE COURT SERVICES INTAKE UNIT, (2) A CATEGORY OF CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES WAS DESIGNATED, WITH SPECIFIC COURT DISPOSITIONS ENUMERATED, (3) THE JAILING OF CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES WAS PROHIBITED, (4) THE JAILING OF DELINQUENT CHILDREN WAS LIMITED TO SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, (5) THE COMMITMENT OF CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES TO THE STATE BOARD OF CORRECTIONS WAS PROHIBITED, AND (6) THE COMMITMENT OF DELINQUENT CHILDREN TO THE STATE BOARD OF CORRECTIONS WAS LIMITED BY AGE. AS A RESULT OF THESE CHANGES, IT WAS EXPECTED THAT THE NUMBER OF COURT SERVICE INTAKES WOULD INCREASE, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES RECEIVED BY INTAKE WOULD DECREASE, THE NUMBER OF LESS SERIOUS DELINQUENT OFFENSES RECEIVED BY INTAKE WOULD INCREASE, THE NUMBER OF DIVERSIONS FROM COURT THROUGH INTAKE WOULD INCREASE, THE NUMBER OF JAIL ADMISSIONS WOULD DECREASE, THE NUMBER OF DETENTION ADMISSIONS WOULD INCREASE, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN COMMITTED TO THE STATE BOARD OF CORRECTIONS WOULD DECREASE, AND THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN PLACED IN COMMUNITY YOUTH HOMES WOULD INCREASE. INFORMATION COLLECTED BETWEEN JULY 1, 1976 AND JUNE 30, 1977 WAS COMPARED WITH INFORMATION OBTAINED BETWEEN JULY 1, 1977 AND JUNE 30, 1978 IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF CODE REVISION ON THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. POINTS OF THE SYSTEM WHERE INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED WERE INTAKE, COURTS, JAILS, DETENTION HOMES, AND COMMUNITY YOUTH HOMES. THERE WAS A 25-PERCENT INCREASE IN COMPLAINTS AT INTAKE OVER THE COMPARATIVE PERIOD, ALTHOUGH COMPLAINTS BY CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES AT INTAKE DECREASED. SIGNIFICANT INCREASES OCCURRED FOR MANY OF THE LESS SERIOUS DELINQUENT OFFENSES BETWEEN 1977 AND 1978. THERE WAS A 38-PERCENT INCREASE IN DIVERSION DECISIONS AT INTAKE, AN OVERALL 27-PERCENT INCREASE IN INTAKE CASES, A 27-PERCENT DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN JAILED, AN 18.75-PERCENT DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN DETAINED, A 2-DAY INCREASE IN THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR CHILDREN IN SECURE DETENTION, A 12.3-PERCENT DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN COMMITTED, AND A 34-PERCENT INCREASE IN THE USE OF COMMUNITY YOUTH HOMES. SUPPORTING DATA ARE APPENDED. (DEP)