Virginia: Stop Prosecuting Youth as Adults

Give youth a second chance

Dear Representative

As the Virginia Crime Commission will be considering the issue of prosecuting youth in adult court, I am writing to urge you to support reform efforts to Virginia's system of prosecuting youth.

Virginia's law provides that youth as young as 14 years old can be tried in adult court. As a result, nearly 700 young people a year to receive adult felony convictions in Virginia.

Research shows that youth who are tried as adults are more likely to re-offend upon release than similarly situated youth who are treated as juveniles. Data also suggests that even Circuit Court judges do not think that many of the youth they sentence belong in the adult system.

According to Virginia Crime Commission surveys, the vast majority of juvenile justice professionals support measures which would add checks and balances and restore the roles of juvenile court judges in the transfer process. Keeping youth out of the adult criminal justice system should be our shared goal.

Please make our system more fair and effective by supporting the following reforms:

--Allow juvenile court judges the authority to make decisions about whether youth should be prosecuted in adult criminal court.

--Eliminate the placement of youth in adult jails.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[Your name]