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Virginia Crime Commission

The purpose of the Commission is to study, report and make recommendations on all areas of public safety and protection.  In so doing, the Commission shall endeavor to ascertain the causes of crime and recommend ways to reduce and prevent it, explore and recommend methods of rehabilitation of convicted criminals, study compensation of persons in law enforcement and related fields and study other related matters including the apprehension, trial and punishment of criminal offenders.

The Commission is directed to make such recommendations as it deems appropriate with respect to the foregoing matters, and shall coordinate the proposals and recommendations of all commissions and agencies as to legislation affecting crimes, crime control and criminal procedure.
The Commission cooperates with the executive branch of state government, the Attorney General's Office and the judiciary who are, in turn, encouraged to cooperate with the Commission.  The Commission also cooperates with governments and governmental agencies of other states and the United States.

The Commission consists of 13 members that include nine legislative members, three non-legislative citizen members, and one state official as follows: six members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; three non-legislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor; and the Attorney General or his designee. Non-legislative citizen members must be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The term of each appointee is for two years, except that the Attorney General and legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.

The Commission elects a chairman and vice-chairman annually, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

2011 VSCC Meeting Schedule

• Tuesday, September 20th
• Wednesday, November 16th
• Tuesday, December 6th (See Bulletin Board Posting #413)
• Monday, July 25th at 11AM
• Tuesday, September 20th
• Wednesday, November 16th
• Tuesday, December 6th

All meetings are open to the public and will be held at 10:00 a.m. in Senate Room A of the General Assembly Building in Richmond.  
Please check the legislative calendar (http://legis.state.va.us) or the VSCC website (http://vscc.virginia.gov) for changes or updates.

VSCC Website:       http://vscc.virginia.gov/

VSCC Members:    http://vscc.virginia.gov/members.asp

VSCC Staff:            http://vscc.virginia.gov/staff.asp

VSCC 2011 Microsoft Power Point Presentations:

• VSCC 2nd Presentation on SJR348 Sex Offender Registry
• Death and Rape Investigations by Campus Police Departments (HB 2490)
• Cyberbullying and Impersonating Individuals on Social Media Websites
• Facebook Security
• SJR 348: Sex Offender Registry Requirements
• HB 2396: Solicitation of a Minor
• Reporting of Missing Children (Caylee’s Law)
• Domestic Abuser Registry
• Animal Abuser Registry

VSCC 2009 Microsoft Power Point Presentations:

• Adolescent Brain Development
• Juveniles Convicted in Circuit Court
• Sexually Violent Predator Act and the Static 99 Screening
• Office of the Attorney General-Sexually Violent Predator Presentation
• Restorative Justice
• Sexually Violent Predator Census Growth at the VCBR
• Sexting
• Sex Offender Registry Requirements of the AWA and 2009 G.A. Bills

Articles:

Juvenile Case Highlights Flaw in Sex Offender Registry (Virginia), January 2, 2012:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2012/jan/02/tdmet01-juvenile-case-highlights-flaw-in-sex-offen-ar-1581164/

Panel: Local, Campus Police Should Aid Each Other (Virginia), December 7, 2011:
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/12/panel-local-campus-police-should-aid-each-other

Va. Sex Offender Registry Sound, Crime Commission Told, December 6, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/dec/06/va-sex-offender-registry-sound-crime-commission-to-ar-1524833/

Va. Registries for Animal, Domestic Abusers Could Cost $1M to Start, September 21, 2011:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/sep/21/tdmet02-abuser-registries-cost-1m-to-start-ar-1324798/
(That’s $1M each, not jointly)

Va Crime Commission Meeting, September 20, 2011:
http://www.wric.com/global/Category.asp?c=190525&clipId=6271414&topVideoCatNo=92150&autoStart=true

Va Crime Panel Discusses Abuser Registries, September 20, 2011:
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Va-crime-panel-discusses-abuser-registries-2178966.php

Harrington Visits Grounds to Support Bill (Virginia), September 13, 2011:
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2011/09/13/harrington-visits-grounds-to-support-bill/

Kathryn's Law: Harrington Supports Campus Cop Demotion (Virginia), September 8, 2011:
On November 16, the Virginia Crime Commission will hear testimony from the Harringtons and other victims in support of HB2490, also known as Kathryn's Law, which would require campus police departments to hand over such serious criminal investigations to local law enforcement agencies.
"I don't anticipate a fight," says Morgan's mother Gil Harrington, who visited the John Paul Jones Arena on Thursday, September 9 to speak with media about the proposed law. "It just makes sense."
The mother of the young woman whose case inspired the bill, Susan Russell, has also expressed hope that this year lawmakers will approve the measure. (It was passed over last year by the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee, which recommended it for review by the Crime Commission.)
Having called it "a bill for victims," Russell says her daughter, Kathryn Russell, was allegedly raped in an off-campus apartment, and the alleged assailant, a fellow UVA student, was never prosecuted or punished in any way by the school.
By speaking publicly now, more than two months before the Virginia Crime Commission hearing, Harrington says she hopes to increase awareness and urges the public to contact their legislators to express support for the bill. She's also hoping to see a federal law enacted that would provide investigative consistency on campuses in every state. http://www.readthehook.com/100707/round-two-kathryns-law-gets-harrington-support

Del. Rob Bell Elected Chairman of State Crime Commission, July 25, 2011:
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/Rob_Bell_Elected_Chairman_of_State_Crime_Commission_126137428.html?ref=428

Crime Commission Refuses 'Sexting' Recommendation, December 15, 2009:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/15/AR2009121503362.html

Va.‘s Sex-Offender Center will Fill up by 2012, Officials say, September 17, 2009:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/CIVL17_20090916-222403/293448/

Crime Commission Addresses 'Sexting', (Virginia), September 17, 2009:
http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=11144362

Prison Reform Could Save State Cash (Virginia), September 17, 2009:
http://www.wtvr.com/wtvr-prison-reform-crime-commission090916,0,2764259.story

Some Inmates Eligible for Parole Held Longer than Guidelines Suggest, September 3, 2009:
Virginia Crime Commission Report
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/PARO03_20090902-215805/290305/

Should We Treat Juvenile Offenders as Adults? August 23, 2009:
Virginia's laws have made it relatively easy since 1996 to try a juvenile as an adult. The results have been unpredictable. Now a crime commission is evaluating whether the state's approach needs to change.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/216362

VCC 2005 Sex Offender Task Force:
VCC 2005 Sex Offender Task Force