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VCCJA Committees

VCCJA’s committees are responsible for driving the actions of the association to ensure we are achieving our mission. Membership on our committees is open to any member, providing all members the opportunity to actively participate in the organization and allowing work to be dispersed through a larger body with diverse ideas and abilities. Members volunteer to participate in the committees that best suit their knowledge and skill set.

Depending on the role of the specific committee, members:

  • Seek training opportunities for the field to stay current on new and innovative ways to maintain the safety of the community
  • Lobby for additional funds for pretrial and community corrections programs
  • Maintain open lines of communication with legislators to share the benefits of the services our agencies provide
  • Get involved in the training of new judicial officials to educate them on the services our agencies provide statewide

We currently have 11 committees that have been formed to address identified needs or issues.

Awards

The Awards Committee identifies and acknowledges those individuals and/or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the VCCJA and to the fields of community corrections and pretrial services. The Co-Chairs are Hope Brooks and Rachel Turner.

Cultural Awareness

The Cultural Awareness Committee improves communication and addresses existing barriers between offenders/defendants, community corrections agencies, and the local courts by developing services to assist agencies. The Committee organizes training, resources, and facilitates inter-agency communication. The Co-Chairs are Stacci Nutty, Tenisha Carter, and Antonio Brown.

Conference

The Conference Committee is responsible for the planning and implementation of the VCCJA Annual Training Conference. Committee members meet regularly throughout the course of the year to complete the tasks associated with the Training Conference. The committee is also tasked with the responsibility to collaborate with other affiliations in the planning of national conferences occurring in Virginia. The Chair is Trenton Paul.

This committee meets the 1st Friday of each month from 10a-12p. (Does not meet in July & October.)

Fundraising

The Fundraising Committee assists VCCJA in raising funds to help support the association’s activities. Some of the fundraising activities that VCCJA has worked on include vendor recruitment for conferences, golf tournaments, raffles, and merchandising. VCCJA is a qualified 501(c)(3) organization. The committee is open to exploring new fundraising ideas. The Co-Chairs are Maureen Anderson and Shakira Ware.

Innovative Supervisor

The Innovative Supervisor Committee provides a professional forum for discussion and engagement for the purpose of improving continuity of services throughout the state, sharing concepts for policy development, providing mentorship to supervisors, aiding in providing quality support to staff, and maintaining or increasing staff morale. The Co-Chairs are Tasha Brown, Anna Hefferon, David Mayo, and Letita Harris.

Legislative

The Legislative Committee is responsible for considering, developing positions, and tracking state legislation specifically relevant to Community Corrections and Pretrial Services agencies. Committee members follow several relevant bills during legislative sessions and prioritize them based on impact to our agencies and provide updates to VCCJA members. Members meet with stakeholders in the summer months to garner support and funding for our agencies. Co-Chairs are Nicole Loving, Gary Hughes, and Kimberly Parr.

This committee meets every 3rd Tuesday of each month from1p-3p.

Membership

The VCCJA Membership/Nominations Committee’s purpose is to maintain the current membership database, recruit new members to the association, and solicit nominations for the Executive Committee in compliance with VCCJA by-laws. The committee also works in conjunction with other committees to ensure all members receive mailings. Please notify a member of the Membership Committee if you have a change of address to guarantee the receipt of all correspondence. The Chair position is currently vacant.

Pretrial Justice Advancement

PJAC is charged with continual examination of Pretrial practices across the Commonwealth and is a very active committee that has been actively engaged in soliciting feedback from Pretrial Services Agencies across Virginia by conducting surveys related to internal processes and procedures. PJAC has conducted a two part Pretrial Justice Forum by hosting nationally and locally renowned guest speakers to discuss the topic of “Virginia Pretrial Justice System: Fair and Equitable or Time for a Change?” PJAC closely monitors legislative and policy changes, which impact the Pretrial justice system, as well as partners with DCJS to examine all aspects of Pretrial Services, ranging from risk assessment instruments, data systems enhancements, and policy and procedure changes. PJAC is actively engaged in the ongoing broader conversation of criminal justice reform and specifically focuses on what changes could be made in Virginia to bring about a more fair and equitable system. The Chair is Tasha Brown.

This committee meets the 4th Friday of every month from 10a-2p.

Probation Advancement

The purpose of the Probation Advancement Committee (PAC) is to support research-driven practices among local probation agencies, promote innovation and practice to improve outcomes, identify areas of improvement, and provide solutions to the VVCJA Executive Committee. Committee membership is voluntary and open to local pretrial and probation staff. The Co-Chairs are JoAnn Carpenter and Charlotte Walmon.

This committee meets the 2nd Thursday of each month from 10a-12p

Public Relations

The VCCJA Public Relations Committee actively promotes VCCJA to both its members and the general public. The PR Committee is responsible for producing the Association’s quarterly newsletter. The PR Committee has also been actively engaged in the development of the Association’s web site in order to increase accessibility and public information. Other PR Committee responsibilities include the development and update of a promotional brochure and other promotional materials. The committee is also working on a training presentation to assist programs in continuing to educate stakeholders for the benefit of their localities. The Chair is Tara Coleman.

This committee meets the 3rd Thursday of every month.

Skill Enhancement and Employee Development Committee (SEED)

The primary responsibility of SEED is to provide statewide regional training and relevant training opportunities. Regional Training usually consists of a single training topic that is offered to all four VCCJA regions, typically held in May. SEED is responsible for selecting topics, registration, securing speakers and facilities, as well as collecting evaluations for this training. The Co-Chairs are Amanda Fetter and Allison Intihar.

This committee meets the 1st Thursday of each month from 10a-12p.