(The Center Square) – A new report is warning lawmakers not to move Virginia’s Department of Juvenile Justice under the Health and Human Resources Secretariat, arguing the change could weaken accountability and disrupt a decade of reform.
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission released the report in June, concluding that DJJ should stay under the Public Safety and Homeland Security Secretariat. The commission found that shifting oversight to HHR could diminish the department’s focus on rehabilitation and public safety, especially for high-risk youth.
The idea of transferring DJJ to a different secretariat was first raised in 2023, but no final decision has been made.
JLARC’s report highlights both progress and ongoing challenges, but noted the department is now serving a population with more serious offenses and greater behavioral needs.
According to the report, 84% of youth committed to DJJ in fiscal year 2024 were classified as high-risk, a nearly 20% increase over the past decade. The report notes this shift requires more intensive support and stable oversight.
After years of decline, Virginia’s youth incarceration population is beginning to rise again.
The average daily population at state-run juvenile correctional centers increased by 32% in fiscal year 2024 to 283 youth and is projected to grow modestly to 317 by 2030, according to the department’s latest forecast. Local juvenile detention centers also saw their highest population in seven years, rising to 501 youth in FY24, with numbers expected to remain elevated through the end of the decade.
In light of these trends, JLARC said keeping DJJ under the Public Safety Secretariat is essential for maintaining leadership focus and coordination with law enforcement partners.
The department also oversees local and community-based programs, including juvenile detention centers, court service units and reentry placements. As of June 30, 2024, DJJ operated or certified over 30 court service units and 24 detention centers, in addition to six community placement programs and five reentry programs.
In total, nearly 3,000 court-involved youth are under DJJ supervision each day, with 70% serving probation in their communities. The rest are either detained pre- or post-disposition (17%), committed to DJJ custody (9%), or on parole following release (3%), according to FY24 data.
According to the document, these figures exclude roughly 5,000 youth annually who are diverted informally before reaching the courts.
Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center, Virginia’s only state-run youth prison, has struggled with high vacancy rates among direct care staff. The report recommends improving rehabilitative services at Bon Air as part of a broader effort to address behavioral needs and staffing challenges.
