Localities Review Study Of NoVA Juvenile Detention Center

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Discussions are continuing on the future of the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center serving the City of Alexandria, Arlington County and City of Falls Church.

The juvenile detention center, located at 200 South Whiting Street in Alexandria, is a 70-bed facility shared by the City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church and Arlington County. It typically holds youths ages 16 or 17 with multiple misdemeanor or felony offenses and who present significant danger to themselves or others. The detention center provides pre- and post-depositional detention services, basic educational services and centralized intake and community-placement programs. It is operated by a regional commission appointed by the governing bodies of the three localities.

The localities commissioned a comprehensive study on the juvenile detention center in light of declining use in the facility and among juveniles nationwide. In fiscal year 2006, child care days at the detention center totaled 8,615 for Alexandria, 10,979 for Arlington County, and 498 for Falls Church, a total of 20,092. In fiscal year 2017, those numbers were down to 4,496 for Alexandria, 3,780 for Arlington County, and 54 for Falls Church, or a total of 8,330. The detention center study website cites a few reasons for these decreases: a decline in juvenile crime, increased diversion, increased use of alternatives to secure detention, and greater use of Structured Detention Assessment Instruments.

Criminal justice consulting firm The Moss Group was contracted in 2019 for the comprehensive review and has produced numerous reports. The review includes a historical look at the center's structure, operation and ownership; analysis of national, state and local best practices related to juvenile justice and incarceration; analysis of existing operations and potential efficiencies; potential for further regionalization of juvenile detention services; comparative financial and service delivery analysis of two proposed options; and recommendations. As part of this study, community meetings and an online survey were conducted in November 2019 to gather public and stakeholder feedback.

The Moss Group presented the final report at a Tuesday joint meeting with City of Alexandria and Arlington County officials. The two proposed options that were looked at were purchasing juvenile detention services from another jurisdiction in the region, or identifying strategies to operate the center more efficiently and effectively. The first option was determined to be unviable due to lack of interest or capacity concerns at nearby facilities.

As for the second option, there are several recommended strategies:

• 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.

"Keeping the Center open with cost efficiencies ensures juveniles remain close to their communities and services," reads the conclusion of the final report. "Moreover, a majority of stakeholders and community members voiced their support for retaining the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center. It should be noted some community members voiced opposition to any form of detention and further community discussion around this perspective is encouraged."

During Tuesday's joint meeting, the Arlington County Board and Alexandria City Council members discussed additional alternatives and asked staff to develop a plan to follow up and report back on the recommendations.

The public can see a presentation of the report at a virtual community meeting on Nov. 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees will have the chance to ask written questions about the report. A link to the meeting will be available on the study website at www.alexandriava.gov/JuvenileDetentionCenter.

See the full report here. The final report with recommendations starts on page 160.