Localities To Host Virtual Community Meeting With Authors Of Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center Study

Press release from the City of Alexandria:

Oct 21, 2020 at 12:26 PM

Localities to Host
Virtual Community Meeting with Authors of Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention
Center Study

For Immediate Release: October 21, 2020

A comprehensive analysis of the
Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center, commissioned by Arlington County
and the Cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, will be presented at a virtual
community meeting on November 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The meeting link will be
available on the study webpage. The center is located in Alexandria and
operated by a regional commission appointed by the governing bodies of the
three localities.

The study by The Moss Group, an
independent criminal justice consulting firm, was also presented at a joint meeting of the Arlington County Board and the
Alexandria City Council on October 19. The Board and Council members reviewed
the report in detail, discussed additional alternatives, and asked staff to
synthesize the discussion’s direction and prepare a set of recommendations for
next steps. At the upcoming community meeting, The Moss Group will provide a
detailed presentation on the report and attendees will be able to ask the
consultants written questions about the report.

Juvenile incarceration rates across the
nation have declined over the last decade, including in the three jurisdictions
that use the center. The Moss Group conducted the study to explore options to
further regionalize detention services and to
determine potential changes to make the center more efficient, while still
meeting the needs of the juvenile population and communities at large.

Report Recommendations

The Moss Group evaluated the
two primary options. The first option
– purchasing juvenile detention services from another jurisdiction in the
region – was not viable due to lack
of interest or capacity issues. The
second option was to determine strategies for operating the center with greater
efficiency and effectiveness. This option also would ensure juveniles remain close to their home communities
and services. These recommended strategies included:

• Explore co-locating community-based programs
  and services such as mental health treatment, substance abuse services, youth
  mentoring and specialized placement programs at the facility. These could help
  offset current operating costs by putting underutilized space to more effective
  use, generating additional revenue, and increasing positive outcomes for youth
  and families.
• Implement
  staff changes, including reductions, based on the report’s staffing analysis.
• In addition to looking
  at the facility’s short and long-term capital needs, assess the current
  facility layout and develop a design more in line with both a home-like
  detention setting and service co-location.
• Consider
  developing a formal relationship with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, to specifically
  participate in the Juvenile
  Detention Alternatives Initiative.

Staff
from each jurisdiction and commission members will develop a plan to follow up
and report back on the recommendations.

Methodology & Engagement

In addition to in-depth analysis of the
center’s operations, The Moss Group held group and individual focus groups,
conducted interviews with stakeholders, and held three community meeting last
fall. They also conducted an online survey and received hundreds of responses.

For more background information about the study and to view the full
report, visit the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center Study page.

For inquiries from the news media or reasonable disability accommodation requests only, contact Jennifer
K. Smith, Arlington County, jksmith@arlingtonva.us; Craig Fifer, City of Alexandria, craig.fifer@alexandriava.gov; or Susan
Finarelli, City of Falls Church, sfinarelli@fallschurchva.gov.

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This news release is available at alexandriava.gov/118437.

This press release was produced by the City of Alexandria.The views expressed here are the author’s own.