Source: https://vacode.org/16.1-285.1/
Timestamp: 2020-03-30 22:58:07
Document Index: 225860640

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 66']

Commitment of serious offenders (§ 16.1-285.1)—Virginia Decoded - Virginia Decoded
← Previous16.1-285 Duration of commitments
Next →16.1-285.2 Release and review hearing for serious offender
§ 16.1-285.1
Commitment of serious offenders
A. In the case of a juvenile fourteen years of age or older who has been found guilty of an offense which would be a felony if committed by an adult, and either (i) the juvenile is on parole for an offense which would be a felony if committed by an adult, (ii) the juvenile was committed to the state for an offense which would be a felony if committed by an adult within the immediately preceding twelve months, (iii) the felony offense is punishable by a term of confinement of greater than twenty years if the felony was committed by an adult, or (iv) the juvenile has been previously adjudicated delinquent for an offense which if committed by an adult would be a felony punishable by a term of confinement of twenty years or more, and the circuit court, or the juvenile or family court, as the case may be, finds that commitment under this section is necessary to meet the rehabilitative needs of the juvenile and would serve the best interests of the community, then the court may order the juvenile committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice for placement in a juvenile correctional center for the period of time prescribed pursuant to this section.Alternatively, in order to determine if a juvenile, transferred from a juvenile and domestic relations district court to a circuit court pursuant to § 16.1-269.1, appropriately qualifies for commitment pursuant to this section, notwithstanding the inapplicability of the qualification criteria set forth in clauses (i) through (iv), the circuit court may consider the commitment criteria set forth in subdivisions 1, 2, and 3 of subsection B as well as other components of the juvenile’s life history and, if upon such consideration in the opinion of the court the needs of the juvenile and the interests of the community would clearly best be served by commitment hereunder, may so commit the juvenile.
1. The juvenile’s age;
2. The seriousness and number of the present offenses, including (i) whether the offense was committed in an aggressive, violent, premeditated, or willful manner; (ii) whether the offense was against persons or property, with greater weight being given to offenses against persons, especially if death or injury resulted; (iii) whether the offense involved the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon by brandishing, displaying, threatening with or otherwise employing such weapon; and (iv) the nature of the juvenile’s participation in the alleged offense;
4. The Department’s estimated length of stay.Such commitment order must be supported by a determination that the interests of the juvenile and community require that the juvenile be placed under legal restraint or discipline and that the juvenile is not a proper person to receive treatment or rehabilitation through other juvenile programs or facilities.
C. In ordering commitment pursuant to this section, the court shall specify a period of commitment not to exceed seven years or the juvenile’s twenty-first birthday, whichever shall occur first. The court may also order a period of determinate or indeterminate parole supervision to follow the commitment but the total period of commitment and parole supervision shall not exceed seven years or the juvenile’s twenty-first birthday, whichever occurs first.
F. Any juvenile committed under the provisions of this section shall not be released at a time earlier than that specified by the court in its dispositional order except as provided for in § 16.1-285.2. The Department may petition the committing court for a hearing as provided for in § 16.1-285.2 for an earlier release of the juvenile when good cause exists for an earlier release. In addition, the Department shall petition the committing court for a determination as to the continued commitment of each juvenile sentenced under this section at least sixty days prior to the second anniversary of the juvenile’s date of commitment and sixty days prior to each annual anniversary thereafter.
If you’re reading this for anything important, you should double-check its accuracy—read § 16.1-285.1 on the official Code of Virginia website.
. . . Justice until his twentieth birthday. See Code § 16.1-285.1. The circuit court imposed adult time . . .
Jacob Thomas Mattox v. Commonwealth (COA, 10/11/05)
. . . on the first . . .
Sammy D. Suleiman v. Commonwealt of Virginia (COA, 02/03/98)
. . . in . . .
. . . sentence as a serious juvenile offender under § 16.1-285.1 and the remainder of such sentence in . . .
Jackson v. Com. (COA, 04/06/99)
. . . not limited to, commitment under § 16.1-285.1. . . .
. . . of his parole granted pursuant to §§ 16.1-285, 16.1-285.1 or § 16.1-293, may be proceeded against . . .
. . . §§ 16.1-278.7, 16.1-284.1, 16.1-285.1 (Michie 2003). However, because the foregoing . . .
§ 66-25.2 Notice to be given prior to release of serious offenders