The Virginia Advisory Legislative Council Committee to Study Services to Youthful Offenders conducted its study pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 of the 1976 Session of the General Assembly. The study was continued pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution No. 91 of the 1977 Session of the General Assembly.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 of the 1976 Session of the General Assembly directed the Council to continue its study "on the planning for and delivery of services to youthful offenders and on probation and parole matters." The VALC Committee to Study Services to Youthful Offenders found that one year was insufficient to complete a comprehensive study of all the issues involved. Therefore, the 1977 Session of the General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution No. 91 which granted the Council another year to continue its study and to formulate recommendations on its findings.

The VALC Committee to Study Services to Youthful Offenders was initially appointed and organized in 1972. The Council appointed Senator Lawrence Douglas Wilder of Richmond to act as chairman of the Committee. Senator Wilder, with the approval of the Council, appointed the following members to work with him in this study: Delegate Wyatt B. Durrette, Jr., of Fairfax; Mr. France M. Brinkley of Richmond; Mrs. Virginia Crockford of Richmond; Senator William E. Fears of Accomac; Mr. Anthony C. Gaudio of Richmond; Mr. Leonard W. Lambert of Richmond; Reverend J. Fletcher Lowe, Jr., of Richmond; Mr. William S. Stephenson of Richmond and Senator Stanley C. Walker of Norfolk.

In order to carry out the directives of Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 and Senate Joint Resolution No. 91, the Committee appointed subcommittees comprised of members of the Committee and citizen members who contributed invaluable time and expertise to the Committee's work and research.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 requested the Council to "explore the ramifications of implementing a family court structure in Virginia." Pursuant to the resolution, the Committee selected Virginia Crockford of Richmond to serve as chairman of the Family Court Subcommittee. Selected to serve as members of the Subcommittee with Mrs. Crockford were Judge James Cacheris of Fairfax; Delegate Wyatt B. Durrette, Jr., of Fairfax; Senator William E. Fears of Accomac; Judge J. English Ford of Martinsville; Helen D. Gannon of Henrico; Leonard W. Lambert of Richmond; Senator William F. Parkerson, Jr., of Henrico; Robert J. Smith of Henrico and Betty A. Thompson of Arlington.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 further requested the Council to study the "need for prevention and diversionary programs at the community level in dealing with the problems of juvenile delinquency." Consequently, the Committee selected three members to work with the Virginia State Crime Commission's Delinquency Prevention and Diversion Subcommittee in its study of Children and Youth in Trouble in Virginia, chaired by Delegate L. Ray Ashworth of Wakefield. The Committee members selected were: France M. Brinkley, Margaret Dungee and the Reverend J. Fletcher Lowe, all of Richmond.

The Council would like to take this opportunity to express its sincere appreciation to the Virginia State Crime Commission for inviting members of the V ALC Committee to Study Services to Youthful Offenders to serve on the Delinquency Prevention and Diversion Subcommittee. This joint study exemplified the coordination and cooperation deemed essential to the successful operation of all legislative studies and State institutions dedicated to securing and protecting the welfare of children throughout the Commonwealth.

Finally, Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 requested that the Council continue its study "on devising a system to improve the probation and parole of all offenders." The Subcommittee on Parole for Youthful Offenders was appointed to study this issue. William S. Stephenson was selected to act as chairman of the Subcommittee. Other members selected to serve with Mr. Stephenson were Judge Frederick P. Aucamp of Virginia Beach; Margaret Dungee of Glen Allen; Judge Ernest P. Gates of Chesterfield; Anthony C. Gaudio of Richmond; Rudy F. Guillen, Jr., of Richmond; Eleanor McGehee of Richmond; Gammiel Gray Poindexter of Surry; Dr. Charles K. Price of Richmond; Sheriff Paul J. Puckett of Roanoke; Morris L. Ridley of Richmond; Senator Lawrence Douglas Wilder of Richmond and Robert Wolfe of Harrisonburg.

Throughout 1976 and 1977 the Committee met with officials and representatives of the State correctional system to stay apprised of the services provided to youthful offenders throughout the Commonwealth. The Committee held several meetings with the staff of the Rehabilitative School Authority which administers educational programs for persons committed to correctional institutions in the Commonwealth.

A questionnaire prepared by the Committee was sent to all members of the staff of the Rehabilitative School Authority in Virginia to ascertain information regarding the administration and operation of the educational programs offered to incarcerated youths.