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1995 SESSION

LD0102836
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 456
House Amendments in [ ] -- February 4, 1995
Continuing the Detention Home Task Force of the Commission on Youth.
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Patrons--Mims, Albo, Brickley, Callahan, Cantor, Cunningham, Darner, Davies, Deeds, Giesen, Hamilton, Harris, Jackson, Jones, J.C., Keating, May, McDonnell, Scott and Sherwood; Senators: Earley, Houck and Waddell
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the Commission on Youth's Secure Detention Task Force was established by the 1994 General Assembly to review the statutory criteria for secure detention and the funding system for pre-dispositional and post-dispositional services; and

WHEREAS, throughout the course of the study, the task force met nine times, visited three detention homes, and received testimony from national experts on juvenile detention, juvenile and domestic relations court judges, court service unit directors, detention home superintendents, the Department of Youth and Family Services staff, and local service providers; and

WHEREAS, the task force administered surveys to decision makers at the state and local levels to solicit their views on the role of and needs of secure detention; and

WHEREAS, the task force conducted fiscal analysis on the funding structure for pre-dispositional and post-dispositional services; and

WHEREAS, the task force conducted a thorough analysis of the variety and array of pre-dispositional services available to communities across the state and [ the role of ] secure [ detention's place detention ] in the service continuum; and

WHEREAS, the task force has introduced legislation to the 1995 Session of the General Assembly to amend the current block grant system and respond to the identified gaps in services; and

WHEREAS, in the later stages of the study, the task force began to examine service needs available to communities after adjudication; and

WHEREAS, the task force has identified a lack of a range of services on a community level which would allow the court to impose graduated sanctions on delinquent youth in a way which would respond to concerns about local public safety as well as treatment; and

WHEREAS, the impact of the Comprehensive Services Act on services to court referred youth has not been adequately assessed, given the brief period that legislation has been in place; and

WHEREAS, the issue of services provided in response to juvenile delinquency requires additional review and analysis; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Detention Home Task Force of the Commission on Youth be continued for another year and renamed to reflect its focus on post-adjudication services for delinquent youth. The task force is to make recommendations regarding the provision of post-adjudication services to delinquent youth and the development of a system of graduated sanctions to be available across the Commonwealth. Membership on the task force shall remain the same with any vacancies being filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

The task force shall complete its work in time to submit a final report and recommendations by December 15, 1995, to the Governor and General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.