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About VCCJA

The Virginia Community Criminal Justice Association (VCCJA) is a non-profit membership organization comprised of criminal justice agencies from across Virginia. Whether pretrial services, local probation, or other criminal justice initiatives, our shared goal is improving individual and community safety through evidence-based practices and accountability.

Mission Statement

The mission of the VCCJA is to enhance individual and community safety by advancing local pretrial, probation and community corrections practices to promote accountability and change through innovative education, training, and professional development opportunities.

Vision Statement

The Virginia Community Criminal Justice Association envisions a safer Virginia where every community has access to comprehensive pretrial, probation, and criminal justice initiatives which are evidence based and ensure accountability.

Our Leadership

President

Tomaudrie Thomas

Deputy Director, Prince William County Criminal Justice Services

President-Elect

Shelby Johnson

Director, Henrico County Community Corrections Program

Vice President

Maureen Anderson

Probation/Pretrial Manager, Prince William County Criminal Justice Serivces

Treasurer

Allison Intihar

Probation/Pretrial Manager, Prince William County Criminal Justice Services

Secretary

Anna Hefferon

Probation Supervisor, Chesterfield/Colonial Heights Community Corrections

Central Region Representative

Trenton Paul

Probation Supervisor, Chesterfield/Colonial Heights Community Corrections

Western Region Representative

Heath Kiser

Sr. Pretrial Officer, Southwest Virginia Community Corrections

Eastern Region Representative

Jenni Facenda

Probation Officer, Portsmouth Community Corrections & Pretrial Services

Northern Region Representative

Tiffany Embrey

Assistant Director, Fauquier County Adult Court Services

Membership Representative

Charlene Johnson

Probation Officer, Hampton Newport News Criminal Justice Agency

Our History

1989

In 1989, Virginia created local pretrial services agencies to provide essential information and investigative services about individuals awaiting trial to judicial officers to inform pretrial release decisions.

1995

Later, in 1995, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act, which transformed criminal justice practices by creating local community-based probation agencies as supervisory entities, as well as alternatives to incarceration for individuals convicted of certain non-violent felonies and misdemeanors.

Driven by these changes, the VCCJA was also established in 1995 as the statewide association to represent and serve these local probation, as well as pretrial service agencies.

VCCJA Today

Since its establishment, the VCCJA has served our communities and played an integral role in shaping and advancing criminal justice policies in Virginia.

What We Do

Meet

The VCCJA prides itself on maintaining strong working relationships with criminal justice practitioners at the state and local levels. The association also works closely with state and local elected officials, and other relevant professional associations. VCCJA and its committees meet and engage regularly with these partners to advance our shared goals, defend our progress and support advancements in our field.

Educate

The VCCJA hopes to realize its vision by equipping local pretrial services and probation professionals with the evidence-based practices and skills they need to promote change and accountability for those they serve. VCCJA also works to educate stakeholders, elected officials and the public about this work and its positive impact on our communities and public safety.

Advocate

One of VCCJA’s top priorities is to ensure every Virginia locality has access to comprehensive pretrial services and community-based probation services. The association’s extensive advocacy at the state level has not only resulted in substantial state funding increases for existing agencies, but has also led to the funding of new pretrial service agencies in previously unserved localities.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Enhance community safety
  • Foster accountability
  • Nurture participation and inclusiveness of all members of the Association
  • Promote self-care and professional development opportunities to pretrial and local probation professionals
  • Collaborate with key stakeholders to advance the field and champion the adoption of an ideal pretrial system
  • Advocate/Pursue state, federal and other funding to evolve pretrial services and local community-based probation services in Virginia

Anyone can become a member, especially individuals and organizations who work in a criminal justice field. Local pretrial and probation agencies play an integral role in the criminal justice system, promoting change and ensuring accountability for those served. Whether you are looking for evidence-based training and education, or you are looking to help shape the future of criminal justice policy in Virginia, VCCJA looks forward to the opportunity to work with and serve you.

Membership registrations and payments can be made online.

As a non-profit member organization, we pride ourselves on our ability to engage with and serve our members. We offer a number of critical training and education programs to our members, advocate on behalf of our members and field, keep members informed about legislative and policy updates, and provide networking opportunities. Learn more on the Become a Member page of our website or contact us today.

VCCJA has a variety of committees that support and advance our mission and vision. Learn more about these committees here.

Membership on our committees is open to any VCCJA member. Members volunteer to participate in the committees that best suit their knowledge and skill set. To learn more and/or join, see the “VCCJA Committees” page of our website and contact the committee chair.

To ensure representation from each part of the Commonwealth, VCCJA is divided into four regions: Northern, Central, Western, Eastern. Each region has a representative on our Executive Committee. Current representatives are:

      • Northern Region – Ms. Tiffany Embrey- tiffany.embrey@fauquiercounty.gov
      • Central Region – Mr. Trenton Paul – PaulT@chesterfield.gov
      • Western Region – Mr. Heath Kiser – HeathKiser@swvacc.net
      • Eastern Region – Ms. Jenni Facenda- FacendaJ@portsmouthva.gov

Pretrial services agencies, a function of local governments, play an integral role in keeping individuals and communities safe as part of the criminal justice process. PTS agencies conduct investigations and provide crucial information about defendants to judges and magistrates to better inform their decisions about whether persons charged with (but not convicted of) certain offenses and awaiting trial need to be held in jail or can be safely released to their communities with appropriate supervision.

If a judge finds that a defendant is a good candidate for pretrial release, PTS agencies provide essential supervision with the goal of ensuring accountability and promoting growth. This supervision ensures defendants participate in any court-ordered programming or services and that they are present for all required court appearances. PTS reduce failures to appear and enable program participants to evolve and grow in the community while they await trial.

PTS provide our courts the opportunity to release persons charged with (but not convicted of) certain offenses and awaiting trial into their communities with appropriate supervision when it is compatible with public safety. This enables program participants to complete necessary court-ordered programming, and potentially continue to work and provide for their families while they await trial. PTS programs have proven successful in reducing failures to appear.

PTS and monetary bail are separate issues. PTS agencies provide investigations and information about defendants to equip judges and magistrates with the information they need to make a determination about whether someone should be held in jail while they await trial, or whether they can be safely supervised in the community.

PTS agencies provide that supervision and ensure program participants are accountable for all court-ordered programming and court appearances. These services have proven to reduce failures to appear and facilitate participant growth.

As of July 1, 2021, there are 35 Pretrial Services Agencies serving 116 of the 133 localities in Virginia and 37 Local Community-Based Probation Agencies serving all 133 localities in Virginia.

VCCJA’s goal and mission is to ensure every locality has access to comprehensive PTS and probation services.

Local community-based probation agencies were created in Virginia in 1995 by the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act (CCCA, §9.1-173 COV). They were created to provide an alternative to incarceration for persons convicted of certain misdemeanors or non-violent felonies for which sentences would be 12 months or less in a local or regional jail.

Pretrial services agencies are involved with defendants prior to their trial, meaning they have been charged but not convicted of an offense or offenses. Local probation agencies serve individuals who have been convicted or have received a deferred disposition of certain misdemeanors or non-violent felonies for which sentences would be 12 months or less in a local or regional jail.