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TextCourt Programs and Services
Juvenile Services
Intake
Probation Services
Specialized Services
Residential Services
Educational Programs
Adult Services
Intake
Mediation
Home Study
Investigations
Probation
Administrative Services
Volunteer Program
Volunteer Interpreter Program
Victim's Services Program
Restitution Services
Other Court-Related
Programs
Juvenile Drug Court
Juvenile Traffic School
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)
Program
Victim Assistance Network
Fairfax County Women's Shelter
ADAPT Program
Volunteer Learning
Program
Juvenile Intake handles all juvenile delinquency complaints and petitions concerning children in need of services; children in need of supervision; status offenders; abused or neglected children (petitions filed by Department of Family Services); and commitment of mentally ill adults and children.
Hours of operation for Central Intake Services are from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (General public) Monday through Friday (8:00 a.m. through midnight for police). North County, South County, and East County Intake Services are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Extended hours, midnight to 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, 24 hours on weekends, are available to police with youths in their custody at the Juvenile Detention Center.
Diversion Programs: Juvenile Intake Services includes the Hearing Officer Program which hears minor misdemeanor cases which may be resolved by informal arbitration and sanctions. Section 16.1-227 and Section 16.1-260 of the Code of Virginia describes the purpose and intent of the juvenile court to divert when possible, consistent with the protection of public safety, those cases that can be handled through alternative programs. The Hearing Officer is used most frequently in trespassing, minor property, and alcohol cases.
The Hearing Officer states the nature of the hearing to the juvenile, the parents and/or complainants, and discusses the situation with all involved. Depending upon the problem and the nature of the responses, the Hearing Officer decides on the course of action. Most often community service or restitution is assigned, or the case is continued for a period of time and closed if the juvenile commits no further offenses. Other sanctions which are used with this process include STOP (Shoplifter Theft Offender Program), SAFE (Substance Abuse Focused Education Program), Firestop Program, and contributions to charitable organizations. A petition may be filed for formal processing if new offenses are committed.
The successful completion of an informal hearing by the juvenile does not result in any conviction to their record. However, if the juvenile fails to complete informal hearing sanctions, a petition may be filed for formal processing.
Parents Support Group: The Fairfax Juvenile Court sponsors a Parents Support Group coordinated by the Court's Central Intake Services. The group meets in Room 2221 of the courthouse each Tuesday evening at 7:30pm. The group is free of charge and is limited to parents or custodians and focuses discussion among parents and Intake Counselors on the following problems: runaway behavior, truancy, alcohol/drug abuse, and serious behavioral problems at home, school or community. Parents or custodians are welcome to attend whether or not their children are Court involved, and includes those families whose child/children may currently be on probation. For further information on this group, interested parties may contact the J&DR Court's Central Intake Unit at 703 246 2495.
The Code of Virginia requires all Juvenile and Domestic Relations district Courts to provide probation services. When the court places a juvenile on probation, the Court refers the case to one of the Court's four Probation Services Units. When the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court places a juvenile on probation, the Court refers the juvenile's case to one of the following four Probation Services Units operated by the Court Services Unit.
- South County Probation Services, 8350 Richmond Hwy., Suite 119, Alexandria, VA, 22309, Phone 703-704-6004
- North County Probation Services, 1850 Cameron Glen Dr., Suite 400, Reston, VA, 20190, Phone 703-481-4014
- East County Probation Services, 2812 Old Lee Hwy., Suite 100, Fairfax, VA, 22031, Phone 703-204-1016
- Center County Probation Services, 10426 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030, Phone 703-383-1391
As much as possible, cases are assigned to individual probation officers by the school a probationer attends. This practice allows for mutual support between school officials and Court Services staff, places emphasis on the importance of education to the productive future of probationers and provides the opportunity for an on-going exchange of information about probationers.
School Probation Officer Program: Jointly sponsored by the Court and the Fairfax County Public School Board, teachers in selected intermediate and high schools are designated as part-time probation counselors. They attempt to handle student problems through counseling and referral either before or after the students become involved with the Court. Court probation officers work closely with school staff to assist them in supervision of youth placed on probation.
Effective reduction of future offenses by juveniles is of critical importance to the Court. Consequently, many specialized services have been developed to enhance Court intervention. These include parole; diagnostic services; community service, family counseling; and coordination of direct Court placements.
Parole: The parole unit provides supervision and case management to youth committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and to those youth who have been discharged from the juvenile correctional centers. Youth are eligible for commitment after being convicted of one felony or four class one misdemeanors. Following commitment to DJJ, youth are transferred to the Reception and Diagnostic Center in Richmond for intake and evaluation. In the majority of committed cases, DJJ has the sole authority to determine the length of time a youth will stay in their custody. This length of stay is based on their committing offenses and any prior criminal history. The court can set sentences in more serious cases, as specified in the Code of Virginia. DJJ operates several juvenile correctional centers, and may assign youth to any of the centers depending on their age, sex, and individual circumstances. While committed, youth interact with their Parole Officer in order to maximize the services provided by the center, and prepare for their release. Parole Officers can obtain transitional services for youth including counseling and vocational services. Parole Officers also provide supervision to ensure compliance with parole rules and to provide for community safety. Parole staff may refer youth to halfway houses for those unable to return directly to the community. Parole staff also provide case management and counseling to youth while they are incarcerated.
SHOCAP (Serious or Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Plan) is a joint effort of the Court, local police departments, and allied social services agencies to enhance supervision and services to the SHOCAP program population. To qualify for SHOCAP, a youth must meet conviction criteria established by the Code of Virginia. Information about youth in the program may be shared between agencies to enhance services and supervision.
Interdisciplinary Team: Section 16.1-278.5 of the Code of Virginia necessitated the establishment of an interagency team to review and make recommendations on youth adjudicated to be Children In Need of Supervision (truants and runaways), prior to the Court making a final disposition. Members of the Inter-disciplinary Team include: mental health, public schools, alcohol and drug services, Court Services staff and the Department of Family Services. The team is coordinated by the Assistant Director of the Family Systems Counseling unit. The purpose of the team is to evaluate a youth's individualized service needs for the Court's consideration in its dispositional findings. Due to the interagency approach and early intervention strategies, the team is able to address a multitude of problems faced by the youth and families.
Psychological Services: Judges may order psychological evaluations as part of social investigations for juveniles within the purview of the Court. Probation counselors also may request such evaluations during the course of social investigations to aid in the formulation of treatment plans. Although private doctors and psychologists perform some of these evaluations, emergency cases are performed by staff psychologists from the Community Services Board assigned to the Court.
Diagnostic Team: The Diagnostic Team is an interagency group whose membership includes a psychologist assigned to the Court and, according to the particular case under consideration, representatives from the Health Department, the Department of Family Services (DFS), the school board, and other agencies. The group reviews especially difficult cases referred by judges, probation counselors, and DFS case workers, and reports its recommendations to the judges. Most juveniles whose cases come before the team have failed to respond to prior treatment efforts. The team considers a range of specialized diagnostic evaluations about each juvenile it sees and facilitates collaboration among the different agencies whose cooperation is required to implement recommended treatment plans. Special emphasis is placed on checking whether community resources have been exhausted before recommending the removal of any juvenile from the community.
Family Counseling: The Family Counseling Unit provides counseling services to families involved with the Court. This program is designed to assist families who are experiencing problems with a child's behavior, marital difficulties, or custody/visitation/support matters. The overall goal of the counseling is to aid family members in understanding the development and maintenance of the problems in order to develop more thoughtful and effective problem-solving methods. Referrals to the program are made by Court service staff and judges.
Educational seminars are provided for court involved families. The Impact of Separation and Divorce on Families Seminar is an eight hour, two hour a week, four week seminar offered to parties who have approached the court regarding custody, visitation, or support litigation. Participation in this seminar fulfills the requirements of Section 16.1-278.15 of the Code of Virginia regarding attendance of an educational parenting seminar.
Family Anger Management is an eight hour, two hour a week, four week presentation for families who are court involved with the court and have been ordered or referred to the program. This includes parents, guardians, and juveniles who are age 13 or older.
Family Counseling staff also prepare evaluations for the Court's Inter-disciplinary and Diagnostic Team and offer training and consultation to other Court staff. This unit also provides substance abuse screening, evaluations, education groups and substance abuse counseling by certified substance abuse counselors. Counseling services are free of charge and families can be seen at the main office of the Fairfax Juvenile Court, Room 2702, or at either of the Court's field unit offices in Alexandria or Reston.
Special Placements: In July 1993, in accordance with the implementation of the Comprehensive Services Act (CSA), funds for the purchase of residential placements and for non-residential services for Court youths were transferred from the State level to the local government level. Five Family Assessment and Planning Teams review the need for services and are responsible for ensuring that existing local resources have been used prior to approval of out-of-home placements. When a placement is approved, the team's emphasis is on selecting the least restrictive placement while still meeting the needs of the youth. The Court's two placement coordinators assume casework responsibilities for placements and provide probation/parole supervision to those youths. They visit youths in placement, work with the placement in achieving treatment goals, and work with parents toward changes that will ensure the youth's successful return to the community. Supervision continues for a minimum of six months once a youth returns home. Placement coordinators are also responsible for administrative functions (e.g., billing and encumbrances) for non-residential services approved under the CSA. Placement Coordinators also serve as standing members of the Family Assessment and Planning Teams, representing the Juvenile Court.
Intensive Supervision Program: The Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) provides evening and weekend supervision to youth identified as serious or habitual offenders through SHOCAP and youth on parole/probation who have been identified as high-risk to reoffend through a risk assessment. ISP staff work rotating shifts so that at least one probation officer is monitoring the behavior of these youth in the community each night of the week. They conduct home visits to confirm adherence to curfews and administer urine screens and Breathalyzer tests. These probation officers provide crisis intervention counseling to families (if needed) submit progress reports to the supervising probation officers, share information with local police departments, and carry portable police radios. The service is an adjunct to standard probation supervision.
Juvenile/Adult Sex Offender Program: The Sex Offender Program is a treatment program provided by private providers and is available to juveniles and adults adjudicated by the Juvenile Court to be guilty of sex offenses. The Court may order the client to receive an assessment prior to final disposition.
Young Offender Program: Court staff work exclusively with youth under age 14 who are CHINS or criminal offenders who are detained at JDC or placed at Less Secure pending a hearing. The Young Offender Program Coordinator conducts risk assessments, coordinates immediate services, develops social histories, provides pre-dispositional supervision, completes I&Rs, manages the grant funded treatment contract and serves as resource specialist for court and other county agencies on community services available for this age group.
Community Services Program: The Community Service Program (CSP) serves as a
resource for the Informal Hearing Officer Program and as a dispositional
option for the judges. The program assigns youth to work without pay in a
governmental or non-profit agency. Youth are assigned a certain number of
hours to perform according to the seriousness and number of offenses for
which they are adjudicated not innocent. Those who fail to complete their
hours are subject to a show cause order for contempt of court. The
program also offers mini-CSP sites that operate on weekends under the
supervision of court volunteers to probation violators who are referred
for an informal sanction by their probation counselor. Four probation
counselors serve as staff for CSP.
Pursuant to VA Code Ann. § 16.1-278 a juvenile convicted of various
status and/or criminal offenses can be ordered to hours of community
service. The number of hours to be worked is established by the judge at
the time of sentencing. The program coordinator establishes and monitors
the placement while day-to-day supervision is provided by the job site
supervisor. Failure to complete the hours assigned results in a return to
court.
The program is designed for and is most successful with first and second
time misdemeanor offenders. The age range for the program is from 13 to
18 years of age. Job site supervisors are not able to handle chronic
delinquent, assaultive, or emotionally disturbed youth. Community Service
orders arranged by individuals, families, or attorneys are
discouraged.
Generally, the Court has guidelines that establish the number of
community service hours. The project discourages setting a specific time
limit in which to complete the community service as this type of
directive contravenes program procedures.
Evening Reporting Center: The Evening Reporting Center is a 30 day non-residential program designed to provide an alternative to detention for youth on probation who commit technical violations or other delinquent acts. It is a community-based program that is a part of the Juvenile Court continuum of graduated sanctions. The goal is to develop skills in youth that support pro-social behaviors. Admission Criteria consist of:
- Within the purview of the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
- On probation or parole and living within the boundaries of the South County Probation Office
- Age 14-18 years (younger youth will be considered on a case by case basis)
- Facing court action for violation of probation/parole or new criminal offenses
- Agreeing to in lieu of a probation violation being filed
- Are of moderate to high risk to re-offend based on the Department of Juvenile Justice Risk Assessment
Supervised Release Services: Supervised Release Services (SRS) encompasses the Outreach Detention and Electronic Monitoring Programs. It provides highly structured supervision, monitoring, and services to juveniles who are awaiting adjudication or final disposition of charges, and might otherwise be detained at the Juvenile Detention Center or placed at the Less Secure Shelter. Judges may release juveniles to SRS at a detention hearing, or an adjudication or dispositional hearing, on the condition that they follow the rules established by the Court in conjunction with the SRS program. SRS staff meet with the assigned juveniles immediately after their release to SRS, or within 24 hours, to establish SRS rules as required by State minimum standards. Staff also orient juveniles and parents to other expectations, such as frequency and place of visits, and sanctions for rule violations. SRS staff visit juveniles four times per week, which include at least once every other day, weekdays, and weekends. Visits take place at a juvenile's home, place of employment, or school. Staff contact parents or guardians at least weekly.
Residential Pre-Dispositional Placements: In more serious cases which are not informally diverted, the Court intake counselor must decide whether juveniles should be detained or placed outside of their home prior to a Court hearing or whether they can be released to parents or a guardian. If detention is necessary, the available options pending the Court's detention hearing are release to parents or responsible adult, placement in the Less Secure Shelter, or the Fairfax Juvenile Detention Center.
The decision by Intake to detain a juvenile outside of his/her home is made if the juvenile presents a danger to the community or to themselves, and the judge may decide to detain if it is determined that the juvenile is unlikely to appear for the Court hearing. In all cases in which juveniles are placed outside of their homes pending a Court hearing, a judicial determination to continue detention must be made by a judge the next working day after a juvenile is first detained to ensure that continued detention is appropriate.
The Juvenile Court runs two pre-dispositional placement facilities for juveniles: the Less Secure Shelter and the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center.
Less Secure Shelter: The Less Secure Shelter is a non-secure facility serving boys and girls, ages 10-17, who are Children in Need of Supervision or Services, and delinquent offenders with minor criminal records. Youth are ordered into the program through a court order or a shelter care order. The program provides individual and group counseling, as well as a parent support/education group. The residents attend the on-grounds school staffed by Fairfax County Public Schools teachers. The facility provides a safe and structured environment where youth can start examining the behavior that prompted their removal from home, as well as their court involvement.
Juvenile Detention Center: The Juvenile Detention Center is a secure pre-dispositional holding facility originally opened in October 1982 with a capacity for 33 boys and girls. The facility expanded to a capacity of 44 beds in April 1991, 55 beds in October 1992, and to 121 beds in 1998. It is designed both architecturally and programmatically to reduce stress for the residents while providing control and safety. Security is maintained through physical surveillance and personal contact between staff and detainees, rather than through electronic equipment; the extensive use of internal windows facilitates surveillance without being obtrusive. A glass-lined circulation corridor surrounds an open inner courtyard with small-group living areas, each organized as a set of 11 bedrooms opening into a common day room, to replace the traditional cellblock. The building provides specialized single-purpose space for schooling, arts and crafts, physical exercise, dining, intake, reception, and administration. Special attention is paid to screening medical needs, and to providing a balanced low-sugar diet. The program has received numerous facility and employee awards for outstanding performance.
Residential Post-dispositional Placements
Girls Probation House (GPH): The Girls Probation House, established in 1975, provides court-involved adolescent females who exhibit chronic behavioral problems, an individualized, structured and rehabilitative treatment program in the local community. Now called the Variable Stay Program, it is family-oriented, short to moderate term, and has a capacity to serve 12 residents ranging in age from 13 to 17. The program serves both CHINS and delinquent female offenders placed in the facility by judicial order, but does not treat those with severe emotional, mental health, and substance abuse issues. The program provides a structured environment which emphasizes the acceptance of personal responsibility and accountability by residents through means of a 3-level program of behavior modification, positive peer culture, individual, group and intensive family counseling, and weekly parent/community groups. Based on the premise that girls need to gain a sense of independence, self control, and self confidence, treatment is designed to alter the cycle of dysfunctional behavior, foster healthy emotional functioning, strengthen family and academic functioning, and successfully facilitate the return of residents to their homes and communities. The Fairfax County Public Schools provides two teachers who address the educational needs of residents in an on-site daily school program.
A Shelter Care Program has been added to address the needs of shelter care residents placed in the facility by judicial order. Length of stay and intensity of treatment is based upon needs of residents, who are often then transferred into the Variable Stay Program.
Boys Probation House (BPH): BPH is a community based residential treatment facility for male probationers. The referral process starts with the probation officer or judge referring the juvenile for an interview. If he is appropriate for the program the judge then orders the juvenile to complete one of the two programs offered by the facility.
The Therapeutic Treatment Program has a capacity of sixteen boys. It is a highly structured program designed to reduce chronic delinquent behavior and emphasize the acceptance of personal responsibility by participants. This program accepts boys who are between fourteen and seventeen years of age and takes nine to twelve months to successfully complete. Program participants are assigned to one of two groups. Each group has eight members. Residents participate in program activities with the members of their assigned group. Major goals of treatment are to make residents more responsible for their behavior, help them learn to make better decisions in their lives, and promote an understanding and acceptance of the role of authority and its value in their daily lives. Parental involvement is required and considered crucial to successful treatment.
The Transitional Living Program (TLP) has a capacity of six males. This program is designed to assist seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boys in becoming independent adults. The length of the program is five to seven months. This program focuses on preparing young men to live on their own. Each resident is required to obtain and maintain fulltime employment. The program's curriculum provides residents with life skills training in many areas that include but are not limited to job interview preparation, job retention, budgeting their income, consumer awareness, community responsibility, selecting an appropriate hobby, positive decision-making, establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, personal health and hygiene, nutrition, and food preparation. Residents can complete their education through earning a high school diploma, GED, or attending community college while in the program. The program structure provides residents with a firm support system that teaches them to take responsibility for their actions as they focus on behavioral change, maturity, and goal attainment.
Beta Program: The Beta Program is a sentencing program which confines youth for up to six months in the Juvenile Detention Center and provides the Court an alternative to committing youth to the Department of Juvenile Justice (in accordance with the Code of Virginia 16.1-284.1). Interventions are structured around such issues as anger management, social skills training, decision making skills, moral reasoning, and setting boundaries and limits. Services include individual and group therapy, a psycho-educational component, and both therapeutic recreation and art therapy. Youths who are accepted into the program will be provided treatment by the program's Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Services clinical staff.
The 15 bed program accommodates both males and females. To enter the program juveniles must be referred by a probation officer and must also complete an admissions assessment with the program coordinator and clinical staff who determine their appropriateness for placement. The Code requires that the youth must be 14 years of age or older and has not previously been and is not currently adjudicated delinquent of a violent felony or found guilty of a violent felony and has not been released from the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice within the previous 18 months. The program does not accept youth who are psychotic or those requiring sex offender treatment services. The Code further requires that the court shall conduct mandatory review hearings at least once during each thirty day period of confinement.
Alternative Schools: The Court and the Fairfax County Public School Board collaborate in operating or supporting a variety of alternative schools for youngsters who are unable to benefit from the ordinary public school experience. Five of these schools were created by joint action of the court and the School Board: the Falls Bridge School in Reston; the Hillwood High School, and Blackwell Middle School in Merrifield; the Sager School in Fairfax City; and the Gunston School in Mount Vernon. The Court provides facilities and administrative support and the School Board provides full-time teacher, books and supplies for each school. Each school has the capacity to handle from 8 to 10 students under probation supervision by the Court who have experiences behavior and/or attendance problems in school. Students are referred by their probation counselors who closely monitor their attendance in the alternative schools. Students received individualized remedial instruction, designed to enable them to either return to a regular school, obtain a high school equivalency diploma, or enroll in a vocational or work-study program within one year.
Enterprise School: The Enterprise School is a private, non-profit school which provides a therapeutic learning environment for up to 23 juveniles of average or above-average intelligence who's emotional and behavioral problems have prevented them from coping with regular school settings. Students are enrolled in a 6-credit academic program that stresses addressing individual needs within a small group instructional setting. In addition, students participate in bi-weekly multiple-family group counseling sessions with their parents. Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Special Education provides one full-time and one part-time teacher; the Court provides financial support to the program. The Enterprise School is located in Vienna, Virginia.
The Independent Study Program: In 1992, the Fairfax Juvenile Court and Fairfax County Public Schools developed the Independent Study Program with up to 35 youths on probation or parole. The program is designed to address the educational needs of youth who have been unable to benefit from traditional class room instruction or alternative school programs. The program's four teachers serve youths who are pending expulsion, or who have been expelled but permitted to attend the specialized program by the School Board. The Independent Study program has educational and work components. Youths meet with teachers twice each week for school assignments and individual instruction. They are encouraged to find employment to supplement their Education. Job placements are coordinated by each youth's probation counselor and teacher. Program participants can earn GEDs, or if possible, be mainstreamed back into their base school.
Volunteer Learning Program: The Volunteer Learning Program is an individualized tutoring program available to all residents of Fairfax County. In addition to the School Board, which provides one full-time coordinator and 3 part-time assistants, and the Court, which provides office space, the program is also sponsored by Fairfax County Public Libraries which provide space for tutoring and training activity. The program coordinators recruit, train, and supervise volunteers who serve as tutors for persons needing remedial assistance to pass the High School Equivalency Test. The program coordinators and their assistant also diagnose individual educational needs and match appropriate tutors to students and make referrals to Adult Learning Centers. Tutors and students meet one-on-one twice weekly, usually in a library, to work toward a selected academic goal. Tutors are also assigned to the learning centers and court residential programs. Many students are Court-referred; other referrals come from the public schools, other agencies, and other program participants.
The School Probation Officer Program: Jointly sponsored by the Court and the School Board, teachers in selected intermediate and high schools are designated as part-time probation counselors. They attempt to handle student problems through counseling and referral either before or after the students become involved with the Court. They also assist the assigned primary probation counselor in supervising court client in the school setting.
II. DOMESTIC RELATIONS SERVICES
Domestic Relations Adult Intake handles all adult criminal offenses against children or family members, and family complaints including child and spousal support disputes, child custody and visitation disputes, and family abuse. Domestic Relations Intake and Services are located on the 2nd floor of the Fairfax Juvenile Court, 4000 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030, in Room 2500, phone 703-246-3040.
Hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, with intake interviews by appointment usually scheduled within
2-3 weeks of initial contact. Intake services are also available one day
per week at the South County office. Intake interviews may be scheduled
after 4:30 p.m. depending upon factual circumstances and the availability
of an intake clerk.
Petitions and complaints are drafted and signed at the time of the initial intake interview and sent to Room 1305 to be assigned a Court date. Petition forms for support, protective orders and other state forms are available to attorneys from intake personnel or from Virginia's Court Page.
If you wish to use the services of Domestic Relations Adult
Intake, It is best if you make an appointment to come to the DOMESTIC
RELATIONS SERVICES Office of the Court. You can call this office at
703-246-3040 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. To
talk about a family abuse situation, it is best to call early in the day
to make an appointment. This way you may be able to come in the same day
or the next day. Without an appointment, you may have to wait longer to
talk to someone. Also, you may not be prepared with all the information
you will need for the appointment.
To talk about custody, visitation, or support problems, you should call
as soon as possible because it may take two weeks or more before you can
meet with an intake counselor.
Mediation services are available through Domestic Relations Intake Services in support, custody, and other cases in which both parties agree to participate or in cases where mediation is ordered by the Court. The Virginia Code authorizes Court mediators to assess a fee at the discretion of the judge ordering the mediation. However, the general policy of the Fairfax Juvenile Court has been not to assess costs for Court mediation services.
Home study investigations are conducted by Domestic Relations Intake Services only when ordered by the Court. A fee may be charged in each case based upon the income of the parties.
The adult probation officers of the Domestic Relations Services staff provide probation supervision to adults convicted of misdemeanor offenses against children or family members. A substantial proportion of adult offenders on probation have been convicted of spousal abuse or sexual offenses against children. Adult probation officers meet with probationers at least once per month. They monitor probationers' activities, assess treatment and services needs, tailor service plans to meet the needs, and monitor probationers' participation in court ordered treatment or services. Adult probation officers file probation violations against probationers alleged to be in violation of probation rules. Additionally, adult probation officers provide courtesy probation supervision to other courts.
III. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Volunteers participate in the delivery of Court services as probation and parole aides, Court aides, aides at residential facilities, and as support persons for juveniles under Court Supervision who are in need of a positive adult model. The Court's Volunteer Coordinator recruits and screens volunteers, orients them to the Court system, and places them with the staff members they will assist. The Coordinator acts as a liaison between the Court and community organizations, the Voluntary Action Center, and concerned citizens. The Volunteer Coordinator may be reached at 703 246 2697.
B. Volunteer Interpreter Program
The Volunteer Interpreter Program (VIP) assists staff working with individuals for whom English is a barrier. This helps clients and visitors to access appropriate court services as well as court staff to more effectively process clients. The program currently provides Spanish language interpretation, and some other languages are available upon request. Volunteer interpreters are available for all units and facilities. However, courtroom service is limited to civil status hearings, protective order hearings, and criminal advisement hearings. Interpretation services consist of face-to-face interpretations between staff and clients as well as telephone interpretations. Translation services for written documents are also available. The Language Access Coordinator coordinates the program.
The State of Virginia enacted the Virginia Crime Victim and Witness Rights Act (19.2-11.0 Code of Virginia) circa 1995 to address the needs of victims. In response, the Victim Services Program was developed to aid victims who have been victimized by juvenile offenders. Victim referral forms are completed by the complainant during the intake process and are forwarded to Victim Services by the Juvenile Intake staff. The victim, adult or juvenile, is contacted and afforded the choice to actively participate, with appropriate assistance, in all stages of the criminal justice process. Services provided to the victim include but are not limited to emotional support, advanced notice of court proceedings, preparing the victim for court, home visits, assistance in writing Victim Impact Statements and filing Restitution Claim Forms, arrangement of victim/offender meetings, resource referrals for counseling, medical or psychological services, assistance in obtaining compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund and notification of offender status. Victim services staff advocate on behalf of the victim to the Commonwealth's Attorney, in cooperation with probation staff, to insure their rights to participate in an offender's sentencing and to have knowledge of any plea agreement being offered to the court. In addition, probation staff may call upon Victim Services to obtain information from the victim when preparing an Investigation and Report for the court or to request a probation meeting, with a probationer, for the purpose of victim impact education.
If a defendant (adult or juvenile) is convicted of an offense which has resulted in property loss, property damage or personal injury, the court may order him or her to pay restitution to the victim. Restitution officers are responsible for enforcing restitution orders. The Restitution Office is part of the Court Administrative Services but is located in the Central Intake Office. A restitution officer meets with any defendant who owes restitution immediately after the restitution order is entered and explains the procedure for making restitution payments, and establishes a payment plan and schedule with the defendant. The defendant must send payments to the court so that the restitution officer can track the payments and monitor compliance with the court's order. The restitution officer records the payments and then forwards them to the victim.
IV. OTHER COURT-RELATED PROGRAMS
The Juvenile Drug Court provides a non-adversarial model of court intervention in which repeat non-violent juvenile offenders who have been identified as moderate/heavy substance abusers are held accountable for their offenses and their recovery. The program is a unique partnership between the juvenile justice system; alcohol, drug, and mental health treatment providers; and education communities. Juvenile Drug Court structures strength-based treatment intervention around the authority and personal involvement of the drug court judge. The premise of the program is that frequent and effective substance abuse treatment and monitoring of juvenile offenders will result in higher recovery rates, lower relapse numbers and reduced criminal behavior. Parents and legal custodians, or guardians, of juvenile offenders are required to cooperate and participate in the program to the extent necessary to ensure the success of the juvenile. The Drug Court meets weekly.
Approved by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, this program offers youthful traffic law violators a course in safe driving. The course consists of nine hours of classroom time and five hours of driving time, and requires the attendance of at least one parent. Youths successfully completing the course are awarded five safe driving points and may also have their citations dropped or the charges reduced. Juvenile traffic law violators whose offenses such as reckless driving, speeding or serious accidents which require a Court appearance are eligible for traffic school.
C. Court Appointed special Advocate Program (CASA)
The CASA program started in Fairfax County in 1988; the Virginia General Assembly established a statewide CASA program in 1990. The CASA worker is a trained counselor volunteer who is appointed by a judge in abuse/neglect proceedings. As a child advocate, the CASA volunteer has 3 main responsibilities:
1. To serve as a fact finder for the judge and the Guardian ad litem by thoroughly researching the background of each assigned case;
2. To represent the child's best interest to the Court through the preparation and filing of a written report detailing the CASA's case investigations and recommendations; and
3. To continue to interact with the child and family for the duration of the case, or as ordered by the Court
The Fairfax CASA office is located at 4101 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA; their office number is 703-273-3526.
The Fairfax County Victim Assistance Network is sponsored by the Community Services Board and provides counseling and advocacy services for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. 703-360-7273.
E. Fairfax County Women's Shelter
The Women's Shelter is another free program sponsored by the Community Services Board. It offers temporary housing, food, children's services, and custodial support to women and their children who need refuge from violence in the home. 703-435-4940.
Sponsored by the Community Services Board, the Anger and Domestic Abuse Prevention & Treatment (ADAPT) program offers counseling and treatment for men and women who have been physically or psychologically abusive to their partners or children. Services are offered in Annandale, Alexandria, Reston and Chantilly. The phone number for more information and registration is 703-968-4052.
Sponsored jointly by Fairfax County Public
Schools (FCPS) Office of Adult and Community Education, Fairfax County
Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, and the Fairfax County
Public Library System, Volunteer Learning Program is a tutorial program
designed to advance the knowledge and skills of learners as they strive
to obtain a diploma or a GED. One-on-one tutoring sessions assist
learners in acquiring competency in reading, writing, mathematics, social
studies, and science. For more information, please contact the Program
Coordinator at 703-246-2139 or e-mail VLP@fcps.edu.
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