Virginia is a Combination State: Delinquency services are organized at both the state and local level in Virginia. Local juvenile courts in some urban and suburban jurisdictions administer probation services and, at times, secure detention.

How is detention organized? 

Virginia has 24 secure detention facilities. The facilities are partially funded by DJJ for both the construction and operation of secure detention facilities while single jurisdictions or commissions provide the remainder of the operating budget.

Intake officers may decide to divert cases through informal resolution. Informal diversion is probation supervision without formal court action, examples include a referral to services, and/or through brief, informal supervision.

Virginia extends rights to victims of juvenile offenders by statute.

The state is divided into judicial districts and the Court Services Units (CSU’s) are associated with each judicial district. Juvenile probation officers assigned to CSUs are responsible for the probation supervision of delinquent offenders. Although juvenile probation officers may recommend the length and conditions of probation, the juvenile court judge has final authority.

Juvenile probation officers are preferred to have bachelor degrees in a social science and experience working with at-risk juveniles. Virginia does not certify its probation officers; however, CSUs are certified every three years.

To be eligible for commitment, a juvenile must be eleven years of age or older and adjudicated delinquent or convicted of a felony offense, a Class 1 misdemeanor and a prior felony, or four Class 1 misdemeanors. The court may retain jurisdiction of committed delinquents for 60 days after which custody transfers to DJJ.

The decision to release a juvenile given an indeterminate commitment will be made by DJJ. The decision to release a juvenile given a determinate commitment will be made by the sentencing judge.

Services to the families while the youth is in direct care and supervision (referred to as parole) to the juvenile after release from commitment are provided through the CSU. The Department operates three halfway houses and (through contract) one independent transitional living program.

Virginia’s Purpose clause is rooted in an elaborate, multi-part clause contained in the Legislative Guide for Drafting Family and Juvenile Court Acts. 

Lower Age: None specified
Upper Age: 17
Extended Age of Delinquency Jurisdiction: 20

According to statute, Court Services Unit personnel must use a uniform risk assessment instrument to guide detention decisions.  Virginia has a mandatory risk assessment instrument to classify juveniles according to their risk for probation purposes.  DJJ policies and procedures require a risk assessment instrument be completed and submitted when making release decisions.