By-Laws


BY-LAWS of the RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CRIMINAL JUSTICE BOARD 

ARTICLE I - Name 

The name of this Board shall be the Riverside Community Criminal Justice Board for the Counties of Prince George, Surry and the City of Hopewell, hereinafter referred to as the RCCJB. 

ARTICLE II - Purpose 

There is hereby established the Riverside Community Criminal Justice Board (RCCJB). The purpose shall be to enable Prince George County, Surry County and the City of Hopewell in combination to develop pretrial court services, and community-based probation programs consistent with the Comprehensive Corrections Act (CCCA) and Pretrial Services Act (PSA). Refer to code section 9.1-173 et seq. and 19.2-152.2 et. seq. 

The law shall be interpreted and construed so as to effect the following purposes: 

1. To allow individual cities, counties, or combinations thereof greater flexibility and involvement in responding to the problem of crime in their communities; 

2. To provide more effective protection of society and to promote efficiency and economy in the delivery of correctional services; 

3. To provide increased opportunities for offenders to make restitution to victims of crimes through financial reimbursement or community service; 

4. To permit cities, counties, or combinations thereof to operate and utilize local community based probation programs and services specifically designed to meet the rehabilitative needs of selected offenders; and 

5. To provide appropriate post-sentencing alternatives in localities for certain offenders with the goal of reducing the incidence of repeat offenders. 

ARTICLE III - Responsibilities 

Responsibilities of the Riverside Community Criminal Justice Board (RCCJB) shall be to: 

1. Advise on the development and operation of local pretrial services and community-based probation 
programs and services pursuant to Section 19.2-152.2 and Section 9.1-176, for use by the courts in diverting offenders from local correctional facility placements; 

2. Assist community agencies and organizations in establishing and modifying programs and services for offenders on the basis of an objective assessment of the community's needs and resources; 

3. Evaluate and monitor community programs, services and facilities to determine their impact on offenders; 

4. Develop and amend the criminal justice plan in accordance with guidelines and standards set forth by the Department of Criminal Justice Services and oversee the development and amendment of the community-based corrections plan as required by Section 53.1-82.1 for approval by participating local governing bodies; 

5. Review the submission of all criminal justice grants regardless of the source of funding; 

6. Facilitate local involvement and flexibility in responding to the problem of crime in their 
communities. 

7. Do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the responsibilities expressly given in this article. 

ARTICLE IV - Riverside Community Criminal Justice Board 

There is hereby established a Riverside Community Criminal Justice Board, consisting of persons appointed by the participating governing bodies of cities and counties in the Sixth Judicial District pursuant to Sections 9.1-178 and 19.2-152, 2 to 7 in the Code of Virginia as amended. 

Membership of the Riverside Community Criminal Justice Board shall include but may not be limited to: 

A Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court. 
A Judge of the Sixth Judicial General District Court. 
A Judge of the Sixth Judicial Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. 
A Commonwealth’s Attorney. 
A Chief of Police or Sheriff in a jurisdiction not served by a police department, to represent law enforcement. 
The Chief Magistrate for the Counties of Prince George and Surry, and the City of Hopewell. 
A person appointed by each governing body to represent the governing body. 
An attorney who is experienced in the defense of criminal matters. 
A representative of local education. 
District 19 Community Services Board Administrator. 
One citizen to be appointed at the discretion of the Prince George County Board of Supervisors. 
One citizen to be appointed at the discretion of the Surry County Board of Supervisors. 
One citizen to be appointed at the discretion of the Hopewell City Council. 
A Sheriff or the Riverside Regional Jail Administrator responsible for jails serving those jurisdictions involved in the local pretrial services and community based probation programs. 
Nominations for membership to the Board will be accepted from August until October. Resolutions will be forwarded no later than December to each local governing body for appointment. Boards shall be composed of the number of members established by resolution or ordinance of each participating jurisdiction. 

Appointments shall serve two-year terms, with terms beginning January 1st of the appointing year and ending December 31st, two years forward. 
A vacated RCCJB membership shall be filled by the vacated member's original appointing authority for the balance of the vacated member's term. Any member of the RCCJB may be removed by his/her appointing authority. 

The membership of the RCCJB shall elect by majority vote at the December meeting one of its members as its chairman, for a two (2) year term, who shall be the administrative head of the RCCJB. The duties of the chairman shall be to facilitate the business conducted by the RCCJB. 
The membership of the RCCJB shall elect by majority vote at the December meeting one of its members as its vice-chairman, for a two (2) year term, who shall be the administrative head of the RCCJB in the absence of the chairman. The duties of the vice-chairman shall be to facilitate the business conducted by the RCCJB in the absence of the chairman. 

From the membership there shall be an Executive Committee, consisting of four (4) members, two (2) of whom shall be the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, and two (2) other members of the full membership as selected by majority vote of the members present at the December meeting. The term of each member to the Executive Committee shall be for two years or in the case of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman until the term of office ends. 

The purpose of the Executive Committee shall be to assist the Chairman and Vice-Chairman in the development of the Board’s comprehensive plan and the agenda(s) for regularly scheduled meetings, to attend to emergency business of the Board, and to address any issue(s) that may assist generally in the operation of Board business until a regular or emergency meeting of the Board can be held. 


ARTICLE V - Meetings 

Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held at the time and frequency to be determined by the RCCJB. 

Section 2. Special meetings of the RCCJB may be called by the RCCJB Chairman or upon written notice from at least two of the current membership. 

Section 3. The quorum for all regularly scheduled or called RCCJB or committee meetings shall consist of at least six members of the RCCJB and in addition, at least one of the following must be present to constitute a quorum: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson or Program Director of Riverside Community Corrections (RCC) to carryout business at hand. 

Section 4. RCCJB and committee meetings will normally be open to the public. However, in special circumstances, when allowed by the Code of Virginia, the RCCJB and/or its committees may meet in executive session behind closed doors with others present only by invitation. 


ARTICLE VI - Order of Business 

Section 1. The order in which business shall be conducted at any regular or special meeting of the Board or committee shall be: 
1. RCCJB Chairman calls the meeting to order; 
2. Roll call and announcement of a quorum (roll may be taken silently by the Chairman); 
3. Chair recognizes guests and/or visitors; 
4. Reading, correction and approval of minutes of the previous meeting (or correction and approval if 
prior distribution has been made to all members); 
5. Report of the Chairman; 
6. Report of any committee; 
7. Old business; 
8. New business; 
9. Elections (when necessary; see Article IV); 
10. Executive session (if required); 
11. Announcements; 
12. Final remarks; 
13. Adjournment. 


Section 2. The Director of Riverside Community Corrections and its staff members may be invited to participate at any time during the proceedings of the RCCJB or its committee meetings when such participation might assist the RCCJB or committee in its deliberations, unless excluded during executive session. 

Section 3. Invited guests or members of committees, or of the RCCJB, may be invited to speak to the RCCJB or one of its committees at any point in the order of business, when the remarks of the guests might assist the RCCJB or one of its committees in its undertakings. Other visitors of the RCCJB and committee meetings may, at the discretion of the Chairman, be invited to speak during the recognition of visitors at the appropriate point in the consideration of old business and/or new business, and/or during the expression of voluntary remarks. 

Section 4. The RCCJB and its committees may adopt standing rules relating to the allotment of time to speakers discussed in Section 3 of this article, and/or to the number of speakers who may be heard on any issue, pro or con. 

Section 5 Committees of the RCCJB are not bound by the provisions of Section 1 of this Article. 


ARTICLE VII - Voting 

Section 1. A majority of RCCJB members present and voting at a Board or committee meeting is necessary for the passage of any action not otherwise provided for in these By-Laws. A majority is defined as any number greater than one-half. 

Section 2. Voting of the RCCJB and its committees shall normally be by voice. However, in every case where a vote other than a simple majority is required for passage, or as a discretion vote, the vote shall be by the show of hands. The vote of any member will be recorded in the minutes at the request of the member. 

Section 3. This article does not apply to the election of officers. 

Section 4. An officer of the court appointed to the board may designate a member of his staff approved by the governing body to represent him at meetings of the board. Such written designations shall be filed annually with the Chairman of the Board not later than January 31st of the calendar year. 

ARTICLE VIII - Standing Rules and Policies 

Section 1. Standing rules for the operation of the RCCJB or its committees may be established if the RCCJB or committee membership desires its. They shall be published and a copy furnished to each member of the RCCJB at the regular meeting following adoption. A majority vote of the entire RCCJB or of the initiating committee membership shall be required to adopt, rescind, or change a standing rule. 

Section 2. Statements of policy or position may be adopted from time to time by the vote of a simple majority of the entire RCCJB membership. A copy of such policy or position statement shall be furnished to each member of the RCCJB at the next regular meeting following adoption. 

Section 3. The Chairman shall ensure that new members of the RCCJB will receive a compete set of current RCCJB By-Laws, and copies of the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act and Pretrial Services Act. 

ARTICLE IX - Rules of Procedure 

The Rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order, revised, shall govern the RCCJB and its committees in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with these By-Laws, the Code of Virginia, or the Codes of the Counties of Prince George and Surry and the City of Hopewell, Virginia. 

ARTICLE X - Suspension of Rules 

Section 1. Standing rules may be suspended pro tempore by the vote of not less than simple majority of the members present and voting at a meeting of the RCCJB or a committee. 

Section 2. Established policies and/or positions may be suspended pro tempore by the vote of a simple majority of the members present and voting at a meeting of the entire RCCJB. 

Section 3. The provisions of Article VI may be suspended pro tempore by the unanimous vote of members present at the meeting of the RCCJB or a committee. Not other provisions of these By-Laws may be suspended. 

Section 4. The suspension of any rule, policy, position or portion of these By-Laws may not extend beyond the call to order at the next meeting of the RCCJB or committee. Any action taken during such suspension shall remain in effect until changed or rescinded by subsequent action or the RCCJB or initiating committee. 


ARTICLE XI - Amendments 
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended at the regular meetings of the entire RCCJB by vote of not less than one-half (1/2) of the members of the current total membership. A copy of the proposed amendment(s) shall be submitted to each member in writing not less than two full weeks prior to the meeting and introduced and seconded at the meeting as an order of new business. 

Section 2. Amendment(s) to these By-Laws shall be moved and seconded. In such instance, final action may be postponed until the next regular meeting. A copy of the proposed amendment(s) must be furnished to each member by the proponent, following the procedures and time constraints prescribed in Section 1. of this Article. Failure to comply with these requirements will be considered as the withdrawal of the amendment(s) to the By-Laws. 

Section 3. Proposed amendment(s) which are unencumbered by further amendment(s) may be postponed by a majority vote of the members present while postponing a vote on the postponed amendment(s) until the next regular scheduled meeting. 

Section 4. When a proposed amendment(s) has been postponed under the provisions of Section 2. or 3. of Article XI, amendment(s) to the proposed amendment(s) may be offered before the next meeting, utilizing the procedures and time constraints prescribed in Section 1 of Article XI. Such proposed amendment(s) to the amendment(s) must also be moved and seconded when the proposal is considered as an item of old business at the next meeting. No additional amendment(s) may be proposed at that meeting. 

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