A child may be placed in one of the following two types of detention facilities:

Secure Detention

A locked facility. The Virginia Beach Court Services Unit uses the Tidewater Detention Home (TDH) located in Chesapeake, VA.

Less-Secure Detention

A group home type setting. This is not a locked facility. Virginia Beach Court Services Unit currently uses Salem House, Crisis Intervention Home, and Seton House. Each of these facilities is located in Virginia Beach, VA.

An intake officer uses the following criteria to determine whether to detain a juvenile:

• The seriousness of the crime(s) committed
• Whether any weapons were used
• Whether the child is a danger to him/herself
• Whether the child is a danger to others/community/property
• Whether the child presents a threat not to appear in court
• The child's prior criminal record
• The child's behavior at home and whether there is appropriate supervision at home
• Whether the juvenile is currently on probation/parole
• Whether a parent/legal guardian can be located, to whom the juvenile can be released
• Whether the juvenile has any detention orders (warrants) on file

An intake officer may choose not to detain a child but instead may release the juvenile to his/her parents/legal guardians, may release the child on a summons or may release the child on interim rules.

If a child is detained, he/she must have a detention hearing the next day Court is held. For example, if a juvenile is detained on a Friday, the detention hearing would be scheduled for Monday. If Monday is a holiday, the detention hearing would be scheduled for Tuesday. 

A detention hearing is held before a judge and the judge decides if the juvenile will remain in detention until the adjudicatory hearing (trial) date or if the juvenile will be released to a parent/legal guardian.