On behalf of the NAACP Virginia State Conference, we urge you to support SB 21.
This bill transfers oversight of the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and establishes a stakeholder work group to guide the transition. Youth in the juvenile justice system often have significant behavioral health needs, trauma histories, and unmet social supports. A health and human services framework is more appropriate for addressing those realities than a public safety lens alone. SB 21 signals a commitment to rehabilitation over punishment and aligns Virginia’s approach with evidence based practices that reduce recidivism and improve long term outcomes. The inclusion of a stakeholder work group also helps ensure that the transition is transparent and informed by those directly impacted.
We believe this structural change is an important step toward a more equitable and developmentally appropriate juvenile justice system for Virginia.
On behalf of the NAACP Virginia State Conference, we urge you to support SB 21. This bill transfers oversight of the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and establishes a stakeholder work group to guide the transition. Youth in the juvenile justice system often have significant behavioral health needs, trauma histories, and unmet social supports. A health and human services framework is more appropriate for addressing those realities than a public safety lens alone. SB 21 signals a commitment to rehabilitation over punishment and aligns Virginia’s approach with evidence based practices that reduce recidivism and improve long term outcomes. The inclusion of a stakeholder work group also helps ensure that the transition is transparent and informed by those directly impacted. We believe this structural change is an important step toward a more equitable and developmentally appropriate juvenile justice system for Virginia.