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Juvenile Justice Op-Ed in Richmond Times-Dispatch

  • Children’s Mental Health

By Voices for VA's Kids

The Richmond Times-Dispatch published an editorial “State must be smart on youth crime” on Sunday, March 4 written by Pat Nolan of Justice Fellowship and Marc Levin of Right on Crime. Here’s an excerpt:

“Crime — and youth crime in particular — should be dealt with by leveraging the power of families and communities to reform troubled youths whenever possible. This is best done through giving localities the flexibility they need to place more youth into rigorous, effective community-based programs and providing them with necessary mental health treatment, rather than costly and ineffective state institutions.”

It is great to have the need for community-based treatment in the paper and presented from the juvenile justice perspective. We are hopeful that the General Assembly will provide some new funds in the next bienniel budget for child psychiatry and community-based crisis services.


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