HD25 - Report on a Standardized Social History Form


Executive Summary:
In response to HJR 688 the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ):

• compiled data elements included in social history forms currently in use, assessment forms used in Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act programs, the DJJ Risk Assessment Instrument, assessment forms used by the Reception and Diagnostic Center for juveniles committed to the Department, and the adult Pre-Sentence Investigation report;

• formed an advisory work group including Court Service Unit staff, Central and Regional Office staff and representatives of the Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia and the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission:

• held discussions about what elements to include in the standard form based on the experiences and perspectives of group members, as well as colleagues and judges polled by group members;

• used a draft form in an interview situation to test its usability and flow; and

• made final recommendations on the standard form to be implemented.

Considerations in developing the form included:

• providing sound decision making information for judges and court service unit staff to use in providing appropriate sanctions and services to juveniles and their families;

• providing sound decision making information for DJJ to use for management, budgeting and research purposes;

• keeping the form to minimal length, while still providing the necessary information;

• keeping the form easy to use and flowing easily in an interview situation; and

• keeping the form as quantitative as practicable so that the product could be integrated as a part of the Case Management module of the Department's automated Juvenile Tracking System.