December 16, 2015 
 
 
Delegate Ken Plum's 
Virginia E-News



Earlier this week on the third anniversary of the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, I participated with about 300 others in a vigil against gun violence at NRA Headquarters. 

Commentary  

Justice for Juveniles           
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum 
 
I often quote from papers written by the staff of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis; they provide the most fact-based, nonpartisan, clear analysis of key issues facing Virginians. (www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org) Recently I attended the 2015 Policy Summit held by the Institute in Richmond. Topics at the Summit included the declining state support for public schools in Virginia, accessing health care, and returning more money to the working poor through the Earned Income Tax Credit. One topic around which there seems to be a high level of political consensus developing was "Criminal Justice Reform: Opportunities to Save Money and Help Communities."
 
In a paper published by The Commonwealth Institute, it was reported that Virginia keeps more youth incarcerated than most states. As of 2013 for which the most recent federal data is available, Virginia incarcerated 79 youth in state facilities for every 100,000 youth age 10 or older living in the state. That's 75 percent higher than the national rate of 45 state incarcerated youth per 100,000 youth in the country. But that does not mean that Virginians are safer or that more youth are diverted from criminal behavior. In fact, the opposite is true. According to data from the Department of Juvenile Justice, almost three-quarters of youth who have been held in the state's juvenile prisons are convicted of another crime within three years of release. Of great concern is the fact that youth who are held in the state's youth prisons for longer periods of time actually have higher rates of re-arrest within a year of release than youth who are held for shorter periods of time!
 
Virginia's current youth prison system consists of two youth prisons, Bon Air and Beaumont, in the Richmond suburbs. More affluent areas like Fairfax County have established local alternative programs. The highest rates of commitment to the state youth prisons come from the localities that have the highest poverty levels. As the Institute reported, "not only is Virginia's current system not working to rehabilitate youth and keep communities safe, it is also very expensive. The per capita cost of incarcerating youth in Virginia's juvenile correctional centers was $148,214 in FY 2015." Local programs are lower in cost as well as more effective at reducing recidivism.
 
Efforts have been underway to reform the current system for a number of years, but that movement needs to be accelerated. Wealthy communities are way ahead in establishing treatment programs, but these programs that are effective in keeping children out of trouble in the future must be extended to all localities regardless of wealth. The state must resist any effort to dump the problem on localities without providing necessary funds to make alternative programs available. The pipeline from school to prison must be shut off. Alternative solutions that include intensive treatment for offenders and families can keep the community safe, rehabilitate young people before they become criminals, and save money. There is widespread bipartisan agreement that progress needs to be accelerated in this area. It will bring justice to juveniles.
      

Virginia Report on Comcast Channel 28
  
Tune in to Ken's weekly television program, Virginia Report, on Reston Comcast Channel 28 for public service programming (Verizon Channel 1981). Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference.

TONIGHT- Wednesday, December 16 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Don John of NOVA Scripts Central    
Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, December 23 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Dan Flavin of GraceFul Homeshare
 
Virginia Report is also available for viewing online at https://vimeo.com/album/1650266 
   

Bulletin Board 

Help Get Metro Back on Track: NVTC Regional Forum to Inform New WMATA General Manager/CEO

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission wants to hear your priorities for improving WMATA's transit operations and customer service. Join NVTC and new WMATA General Manager and CEO Paul Wiedefeld at a regional forum where you can share your concerns and help identify solutions to challenges facing the transit agency. The Reston forum is on Thursday, December 17 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at Reston Station, Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station, North Exit, 11389 Reston Station Boulevard, Plaza Level.

An online survey, now available at www.NoVaTransit.org, will accept responses until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 2015. 
 
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12 Days of Holiday Scams



Attorney General Mark Herring shares tips and tricks for Virginians to protect themselves against common holiday scams. Click here to learn more.



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Join the Christmas Bird Count   
   
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society, with over 100 years of citizen science involvement. It is an early-winter bird census, where thousands of volunteers across the US, Canada and many countries in the Western Hemisphere, go out over a 24 hour period on one calendar day to count birds.

For details visit: Christmas Bird Count. 

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Fairfax County Citizen of the Year
 Nomination Period is Open

 
The Citizen of the Year award recognizes and honors those citizens whose voluntary contributions of time and talent have resulted in major accomplishments that have enhanced the quality of life for citizens of Fairfax County. Nominees must be a current resident of Fairfax County. Contributions and accomplishments must have countywide rather than local significance and may be either:
  • General, such as multi-year community service with one or more organizations or activities with cumulative impact over the years of current importance or with positive implications for the future, or
  • Specific, including intense efforts as the major promoter of a single program or project completed in a finite period of time.
The nomination form is available online and in PDF format. More information is available at www.fairfaxfederation.org/coy1.htm.
 


Calendar of Events     

Now through December 22, Vale United Methodist Church of Oakton's Christmas tree lot is open. Proceeds from the tree sale will be donated to the global relief organization Stop Hunger Now. Vale Church is located at the corner of Vale Road and Fox Mill Road in Oakton (11528 Vale Road, Oakton). Hours are weeknights from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 703-620-2594 or email vale.church@verizon.net.

Now through December 31, Meadowlark Gardens' Winter Walk of Lights, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, in Vienna. Tickets are available at Winter Walk of Lights.  

Thursday, December 17, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Help Get Metro Back on Track: NVTC Regional Forum to inform new WMATA General Manager/CEO, at Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station, North Exit, 11389 Reston Station Boulevard, Plaza Level. More information is at www.novatransit.org.

Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19, Christmas Illuminations Tour at Mount Vernon, at George Washington's Mount Vernon, 3200 Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Virginia. Buy tickets here.   

Saturday, December 19, 4:00 p.m., Holiday Play/Sing-Along, at Sunset Hills Montessori School, 11180 Ridge Heights Road in Reston. Free admission, no ticket required, but space is limited. Accepting donations for Embry Rucker Community Shelter which provides emergency housing for men, women, and children. Urgent need this season for gas station gift cards and Metro Smart cards, bottled water, new unopened toothpaste, brand-new socks for men, women, and children. More details are at Holiday Sing-Along.

Thursday, January 7, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Town Hall Meeting with Delegate Plum and Senator Janet Howell, in the Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center at Lake Anne. Call 703-758-9733 or email kenplum@aol.com for more information.

Wednesday, January 13, Virginia General Assembly session begins. More information, including links to watch the live stream of daily House and Senate proceedings, can be found at General Assembly. 

Saturday, January 16, 4:00 p.m., "Remembering the Dream." Reston Community Orchestra's 10th Annual MLK concert celebrates the life and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through symphonic works, spirituals, and songs inspired by his legacy. Featuring baritone Bryan Jackson and Reston's own Beverly Cosham. At Reston Community Center -- Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Free Admission -- No Tickets Required -- Seating is Limited. More information is at MLK Concert. 
 

36th District 

Reston, Virginia
 

Annual Legislative Survey
 
Please let me know your views on issues before the upcoming General Assembly. To complete my annual survey, 
 
In This Issue
Commentary..."Justice for Juveniles"
"Virginia Report"
Bulletin Board
Check Your Calendar

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News


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