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About VCCJA

The Virginia Community Criminal Justice Association is a non-profit membership organization representing all sectors of public safety and treatment providers. Membership comprises over 550 organizations and individuals including local community corrections and pretrial services directors, staff, and other individuals involved with the criminal justice system.

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.

What We Do

Meet

VCCJA members regularly meet regionally for training and to discuss local issues. All members can meet annually at our annual conference for training and networking. At all of these meetings, we seek to troubleshoot issues and assist with legal and equitable policy development that will improve the services we provide within the communities we serve across the Commonwealth.

Educate

We educate line staff, supervisors, and upper management in order to enhance public safety in Virginia communities.

Advocate

We advocate for the growth of programs that decrease incarceration rates by effectively utilizing community resources.

Our History

In 1995, Virginia passed the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act to establish local, community-based probation as 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.

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

Our Mission

The mission of the Virginia Community Criminal Justice Association (VCCJA) is to enhance public safety through the development and expansion of pretrial, community corrections and other criminal justice programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia, by providing a forum for the discussion and communication of ideas. All members of the Association shall be committed to the standards of excellence, integrity, and professionalism in the delivery of pretrial and community corrections services.

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 Chair is Cynthia Plummer and the Co-Chair is 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 and Elsa Vasquez.

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 and the Co-Chair is Shelby Johnson.

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 Chair is Maureen Anderson and the Co-Chair is 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, and Loretta Stephens.

This committee meets quarterly. 2023 meetings are scheduled for January 13, April 14, and July14 from 10a-11a. The Annual Retreat is scheduled for October 6 from 10a-3p.

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 is Jennifer Peters.

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. Co-Chairs are Jennifer Dennis and Wes Smallwood.

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, and to identify areas of improvement and provide solutions to the VVCJA Executive Committee. Committee membership is voluntary and open to local pre trail and probation staff. 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 and the Co-Chair is Walter Zarate.

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. Co-Chairs are Amanda Fetter and Rebekah Bell.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Membership is open to members of Community Criminal Justice Boards, Pretrial and Community Corrections Agency Directors and Staff, and any individual or organization interested in supporting the purpose of the Association. Membership registrations and payments can be made online.

There are many benefits to joining VCCJA. Learn more on the Join VCCJA page of our website or contact us today.

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. You can view and contact your regional representative in the “Our Leadership” section on our website.

The annual VCCJA conference for 2021 will be held at the Embassy Suites in Hampton, Virginia. To purchase tickets to the conference or make hotel reservations, use the following link: VCCJA 2021 Conference Tickets, Wed, Nov 17, 2021 at 1:00 PM | Eventbrite

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. We have 11 committees. To learn more and/or join, see the “VCCJA Committees” section on our website and contact the committee chair.

To find out when the various committee meetings will take place, check out our Events calendar.