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Juvenile probation outlines new school-threat program, gang-prevention and warns of female shelter-care shortage
Summary
Gregory Smith, director of juvenile probation, described programs responding to school threats and gang risk, noted increased mandatory detention for juvenile firearms and auto theft, and warned of limited female shelter-care capacity shared regionally.
Gregory Smith, director of juvenile probation programs, briefed City Council on May 6 about service priorities, new interventions and placement constraints for young people.
Smith said the division — part of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice with four city-funded employees for CHINS (Children in Need of Supervision) — spends most local funding on direct services such as GPS monitoring, shelter care, substance-abuse assessments and counseling for families without private insurance. He said recent policy changes created mandatory detention for juveniles charged with firearm offenses, felony eluding and grand larceny auto, increasing early detention use.
New programs: Smith described two prevention and intervention initiatives. STOP (School Threat Offenses Program) is a partnership with the Virginia Beach Police Department and brings parents into structured engagement; its first cohort begins in April. GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training) is entering a third cohort to intervene with youth at risk of gang involvement. He also outlined a forthcoming program called Operation FREEZE (Firearm Reduction through Education and Engagement) aimed at reducing youth firearm possession by involving parents in room checks and education.
Shelter-care shortage: Smith warned that the region faces a shortage of female shelter-care beds; the shared provider network offers just eight female beds shared among five localities and placement availability is inconsistent. He said that shortage has prevented placements in recent cases and that the department may seek additional staffing in future budgets to expand programs if new initiatives are approved.
Why it matters: Smith said early detention can improve public safety but also emphasized community interventions and training; councilmembers praised the recovery/rehabilitation focus and noted the programs’ potential to reduce recidivism.
Ending: Smith said STOP’s first cohort will begin in April, noted the division’s reliance on partnerships for shelter care and asked councilmembers to consider support for staffing that would expand interventions.
