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Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1 — Escapes from juvenile facility; penalty

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 7: Escape of, Communications with and Deliveries to Prisoners, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to escape or remain away without proper authority from a group home or other residential care facility for children in need of services, delinquent or alleged delinquent youths in which he had been placed by the juvenile and domestic relations court or as a result of his commitment as a juvenile to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Any person violating this subsection shall be taken into custody and brought before the juvenile and domestic relations court. The court may find the person in violation of § 16.1-292 or, if the court finds the person amenable to further treatment in a juvenile facility, the court may return him to the custody of the Department. B. It shall be unlawful for any person to escape or remain away without proper authority from a secure facility operated by or under contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice or from a secure juvenile detention facility in which he had been placed by the juvenile and domestic relations court or as a result of his commitment as a juvenile to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Any person who escapes from a facility specified in this subsection by force or by violence shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony or, if violation of this subsection occurs other than by force or violence, a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is escapes from juvenile facility a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: escapes from juvenile facility ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1.

Escape from secure facility by force or violence: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1B) · Escape from secure facility without force or violence: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1B)

Which Virginia statute covers escapes from juvenile facility?

Escapes from juvenile facility is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1 (Escapes from juvenile facility; penalty).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.