Commission on Youth asks governor for independent investigation of Bon Air Correctional Center

The Commission on Youth voted unanimously to ask the governor (or appropriate independent authority) to conduct an independent investigation into Bon Air Correctional Center, citing ongoing concerns about staffing, lockdowns, programming and the facility's ability to deliver consistent rehabilitative services.

The request came at the commission's first meeting of the 2025 session after a presentation from Amy Floriano, director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), and follow-up testimony from national and legal experts. Senator Barbara Favola, chairing the meeting, put the motion to a voice vote; the motion passed unanimously after Delegate Irene Shinn moved it and Delegate Joshua Cole seconded it.

Why it matters: Commissioners and witnesses told the panel that Bon Air, the state's only DJJ-operated correctional center for juveniles, now houses a much more serious and older population than a decade ago, and staff shortages and recurring lockdowns are straining the facility's rehabilitative mission. The commission asked for an independent review of operations, staffing, programming, mental health services and other system-level issues to produce recommendations for corrective action.

Most important facts - Director Amy Floriano told the commission Bon Air had 170 residents at the time of her presentation and that 109 of those were age 18 or older. She said 27 residents were serving sentences for murder and that the facility's admissions skew toward violent-person felonies. - Floriano said DJJ's current staffing ratio at Bon Air is 1.7 (staff-to-resident measure cited by DJJ), and said the facility is at "critical staffing." She and other speakers urged additional resources and long-term planning for facilities and staffing. - DJJ reported 10 lockdowns at Bon Air since August 2023 (including a full facility lockdown in August 2023) and said quarterly facility searches can require 24'48 hour secure periods. Floriano described a mix of full and modified lockdowns and said many incidents are temporary, behaviorally motivated administrative holds, but acknowledged public concern about the frequency and impact of secure status. - Commissioners and outside witnesses noted programmatic changes DJJ has made since 2022 (expanded pre-court services, vocational and therapeutic programming, use of community placement programs), while also flagging high recidivism in some placements and ongoing gaps in staffing and standardized CPP (community placement program) operations.

What speakers said - Amy Floriano, director, Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice: "If DJJ does not stand up and serve the youth as they come to us, statistically, the youth that encounter DJJ services end up dead or in prison." Floriano reviewed DJJ's systemwide reforms since 2022 (pre-court services, expanded regional service coordinators, new vocational courses, PBIS and treatment additions) and said the agency needs help with staffing and long-range facility planning. - Senator Dave Marsden, former DJJ acting director, provided historical context: Virginia once operated eight juvenile correctional centers and now relies on Bon Air as the single state-run committed facility, a shift he said has concentrated risk and created new challenges. - Julie McConnell, professor of law and juvenile-justice practitioner, urged stronger early intervention, consistent evidence-based programming, family engagement and routine reentry planning. She told commissioners that DJJ's reentry planning should begin at admission and that independent-living pathways and vocational credentials are important to reduce recidivism. - Brett Peterson, director, Juvenile Justice and Youth Services for Utah, described Utah's smaller, cottage-style commitment facilities, a 1:5 staffing target in commitment settings, and large-scale reinvestment in early intervention and receiving-center capacity as policy approaches that changed outcomes in his state.

Discussion and concerns raised Commissioners and witnesses pressed DJJ on several operational points: how lockdowns are defined and used; the apparent frequency of extended secure periods during searches and major incidents; the mix of youth by age and offense severity at Bon Air (Floriano said 63 percent of the facility's population was 18 or older at the time of her remarks); and whether standardization and financial oversight of CPPs had been adequate when those programs were first established. Several commissioners called for an independent review to establish factual findings and recommendations.

Formal action The commission approved a motion directing the chair to send a letter to the governor requesting an independent investigation of Bon Air's operations, practices, staffing, programming and mental-health services. Delegate Irene Shinn moved the motion; Delegate Joshua Cole seconded it. Senator Barbara Favola called the voice vote and recorded the motion as passed unanimously.

What happens next Commission staff were directed to prepare the letter and identify appropriate recipients (the governor's office, the inspector general or other investigative authority). Commissioners said they expected follow-up hearings and further engagement with DJJ staff, the Board of Juvenile Justice and outside experts to refine recommendations.

Background and context Floriano told the commission that DJJ has implemented many of the 2021 JLARC recommendations and that since the 2022 system changes DJJ has placed roughly 6,000 youth on pre-court services, a change she said reduced recidivism for those participants. She also described DJJ's work to expand vocational training, violence-intervention programming and facility-level PBIS incentives. At the same time she said Bon Air now holds a higher concentration of violent offenders and older youths, increasing operational stress on staff and programming.

Ending note Commissioners said the motion for an independent review was intended to produce concrete, actionable recommendations to improve safety, programming and staff capacity at Bon Air. The commission signaled it will remain actively engaged with DJJ and may pursue legislation or budget requests based on the investigation's findings.