Virginia Cohort

Through our partnership with RISE for Youth, the young people in our Virginia Cohort engaged in hands-on advocacy led by our Political Director Quadaire, focusing on key areas of Virginia law that directly impact youth.

Their work centered on Virginia Code § 4.1-1105.1 and Virginia Code § 16.1-260.B, examining how these statutes affect justice-involved youth and identifying opportunities for reform. Through this process, participants developed a deeper understanding of how laws are written, implemented, and experienced by young people navigating the juvenile justice system.

Building on this foundation, the cohort also contributed to the development of proposed restorative justice confidentiality legislation, designed to strengthen protections for youth participating in restorative processes.

This proposal is intended to be added to the Crime Victim and Witness Rights Act following Virginia Code § 19.2-11.4, as a new provision: Proposed Virginia Code § 19.2-11.5. Through this work, our young people are not only learning about policy—they are actively shaping it, using their voices and lived experiences to advocate for a more just and equitable system.