“Members of the FMO identified this gap and took action to create a path to help young people in need rather than sending them straight into formal criminal process and likely to the Juvenile Detention Center,” Mike Hubbel, Prince William County Fire and Rescue battalion chief, said in a county release, according to InsideNova.
The Fire Marshal’s Office, Juvenile Court Service Unit, and Community Services built five pathways that range from direct fire-marshal handling to fire-safety education, behavioral-health evaluation, or standard juvenile processing. Youth ages 10–17 can be assessed after an incident or referred earlier through a healthcare provider, school counselor, or Community Services. Those who do not finish required components can be sent back to juvenile intake.
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