The 1996 General Assembly appropriated initial funding to the Department of Juvenile Justice for both juvenile boot camps and a wilderness work camp. It directed that the Department prepare a report outlining the proposed camps in detail and assess existing programs in other States, including the extent to which they reduced recidivism. Few States have rigorously evaluated the recidivism outcomes of their boot camp participants. Very little information is available on the impact of boot camps on the offense behavior of juvenile offenders participating in them. Those that have formal evaluations reported essentially no differences in recidivism between juveniles who participated and those who went to standard programs. Virginia's boot camps will serve juvenile offenders ages 12 through 17 who have no prior or current felony offenses and who have never been committed to the Department or attended a boot camp program. Juvenile offenders with sexual offense charges are excluded. A 25-bed secure residential facility in a remote wilderness area is aimed at serious violent and chronic juvenile offenders found guilty as adults by circuit courts, but sentenced as juveniles to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Tables, notes, bibliography, appendix