Virginia’s use of large juvenile prisons places the safety and security of our communities and our young people at risk, but we have the opportunity to put youth back on track- not just behind bars. Now is the time for real and lasting reforms that will rehabilitate youth, secure communities, and strengthen the Commonwealth’s economy. Youth prisons don’t make our communities safer, they are ineffe
ctive, and they are a waste of Commonwealth money. We have a tremendous opportunity to change our approach to juvenile incarceration and improve our state in the process. As the youth prison population continues to drop, local alternatives are operating at 54% capacity. We have an extraordinary chance to ensure that our neighborhoods are safer, families stay united and supported, and young people are put back on a path to leading law-abiding, healthy lives. Virginia needs a juvenile justice system where young people are held accountable for their actions while still given the opportunity to turn their lives around and make valuable contributions to our state. We need a system that keeps young people in the communities that can support them, surrounded by the families that love them, and where they have a real shot at rehabilitation. Bottom line: large juvenile prisons are not working for Virginia and should be closed. By closing Virginia’s juvenile prisons and reinvesting the savings from their closure into proven, common sense, community-based alternatives , such as probation and small secure facilities, we can improve the lives of children as well as the safety of our citizens.
