Board members highlight expungement fair, EBDM pilot and mental-health diversion plans

Board members used the July 20 meeting to highlight community-facing programs and interagency initiatives. A representative from the Commonwealth's office noted observance of Probation, Pretrial and Community Supervision Week and praised staff contributions to reducing jail populations through diversion.

The Commonwealth's office, the sheriff's office and other partners are sponsoring an expungement fair in Manassas on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 9 a.m. to noon. The fair will include volunteer attorneys advising attendees about what records are eligible for expungement, with fingerprinting provided on site by the sheriff's office to start the process.

Members also described Prince William County's role in a pilot for a new public-safety assessment tool developed by the Center for Effective Public Policy and noted Judge Rollins's push for a mental-health diversion docket to start earlier in the criminal-justice process. The speakers said the Scribe Receiving Center is coming online and the county is one of three statewide pilot counties for assessment-tool testing.

Speakers urged continued outreach and interagency cooperation to support these programs.