CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Life after incarceration is a topic we hear about often and it’s the foundation for a recent policy change coming from the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.
Chairperson Kevin Carroll clarified the intricacies of a controversial vote from this past Wednesday, Sept. 27, that leaves the door open for some people convicted of crimes deemed violent in the past to be considered for youth sports coaching positions.
“This is not an automatic change that says you get to coach,” Carroll said. “What it basically says is you get an appeal, but you can still get denied.”
Previously, individuals with a criminal past that fell under a certain category labeled “barrier” crimes were immediately blocked from applying for such positions. Now, those individuals can essentially apply for youth sporting coach positions within various leagues, but that does not mean they will be approved. Officials told 8News that this change is about giving a second change to those who a committee feels deserves one.
“If you’re a person who, in your youth you’ve made a mistake, and you’ve been a good community member for a long period of time,” Carroll said. “You’ve had your rights restored by the governor and you apply and there’s extenuating circumstances where members of the community are supporting you, then that should be taken into consideration instead of just a flat-out ‘No.’”
This only applies to offenders who have had their civil rights restored by the governor and their crimes cannot have involved a minor. If someone has satisfied those requirements, a five-person county panel will evaluate the circumstance on a case-by-case basis.
Some parents expressed concern over the idea of someone who’s committed a violent act in the past being allowed to work with their children. Officials explained that it’s rare, in the first place, to receive employment inquiries from that demographic. They said this change is geared towards those who’ve made it clear they’re not a threat.
“They paid their penance and now they haven’t done anything wrong [since],” Carroll said.
Factors that would be evaluated include letters of character, time since the offense and how serious a violent offense was.
It’s also important to note — for comparison’s sake — that surrounding counties like Henrico do not currently have county-mandated background check requirements for such positions.
“They leave it up to the leagues to determine whether or not they want to do a background check or self-police,” Carroll said.
