Juvenile Justice Commission
In the summer of 2011, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia established the Adjudicated Juvenile Rehabilitation Review Commission. The initial purpose of the Commission was to examine the Division of Juvenile Services’ operations programs. Over time, the scope of the Commission’s mission has expanded and now encompasses more aspects of the juvenile justice system. As a result of this broadening focus, the Commission was renamed the Juvenile Justice Commission and their work has permanently affected the juvenile justice system in West Virginia. The Commission is involved in reviewing facilities and programs operated or contracted by the Division of Juvenile Services and the Department of Health and Human Resources. In addition, the Commission looks at strengths, gaps and needs within West Virginia’s juvenile justice processes. The premise for their work is based on the following
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Any children ordered into facilities, removed from their families/homes and who are outside of their home communities, are wards of the courts. Therefore, those youth remain a proper concern of the court system. The Juvenile Justice Commission is the mechanism whereby the Court can monitor and ensure that the system provides safe, nurturing living conditions as well as rehabilitative services.