The stated mission of the DJJ is "to protect the public through a balanced approach of accountability and comprehensive services that prevent and reduce delinquency through partnerships with families, schools, communities, law enforcement, and others, while providing opportunities for delinquent youth to become responsible and productive citizens." This report is a comprehensive summary of data on juveniles who enter Virginia's juvenile justice system. It provides researchers and the public with access to information on the number and types of youth for whom the DJJ provides services, including their demographics, the family and delinquency cases that come before the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts, the array of programs and services provided, and statistics related to juveniles processed by the juvenile systems in each Virginia locality. The Guide provides a narrative overview of Virginia's juvenile justice system and provides information needed to assess the extent to which it is cost-effective. It includes spending summaries, reoffending rates, and an explanation of how DJJ determines the amount of time that a juvenile will spend in DJJ centers if he/she is committed by a judge to DJJ's care. Twelve appendixes address staffing expenditures for fiscal year 2007, facility classifications and guidelines for placement, a risk-assessment instrument, various forms used in juvenile processing, and a statistical summary.