by Emily Darrell
Staff Writer

A bill is currently making its way through the Virginia legislature that would allow state prosecuting offices to charge inmates in juvenile justice centers with felonies for assaults on independent contractors who work in the facilities, such as teachers or counselors.

The bill – House Bill 953, sponsored by Republican Delegate Rob Bell – modifies the current statute, which allows assaults on regular staff, such as guards, to be tried as felony cases, but not those who work in the facilities independently.

Late last month Powhatan County Commonwealth’s Attorney Bob Beasley spoke in favor of the bill in front of the courts of justice committee, who then passed the bill on to the appropriations committee.

Beasley said in a later interview that he supports the bill primarily because he “want[s] to protect the staff [at these facilities.] That’s the big thing for me.” 

The Powhatan Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office deals fairly regularly with such assault cases due to the presence of Beaumont Juvenile Justice Center, which is located in northern Powhatan County and houses approximately 230 male offenders aged 15-20.
Beasley said the ability to prosecute these cases as felonies would be something the attorney’s office would use in select circumstances, depending on the age of the offender ,the severity of the assault, and the whether it was a first-time or repeat offense.
If a juvenile offender is charged with a felony while in a juvenile detention facility he or she can be transferred to an adult prison.

Beasley said that he would be much more likely to seek a felony conviction if a Beaumont resident were 18 or older (offenders may stay at Beaumont until their 21st birthday) or if he had a history of violence toward staff.
“This bill is not aimed at sticking all 16-year-olds with an additional felony conviction,” Beasley said.

Liane Rozzell, Executive Director of Families and Allies of Virginia’s Youth, a non-profit devoted to reforming Virginia’s juvenile justice system, said that while she isn’t particularly opposed to this specific bill, she does generally oppose the transferring of juveniles to adult facilities.

“I don’t think enhancing charges is the answer,” Rozzell said. “I think the answer is creating a more peaceable situation.”

“I’m not saying kids should be able to beat up on staff,” Rozzell said, “though the nature of those facilities makes it more likely for those sorts of things to happen.”