Virginia Rules Classroom Instruction:
With classroom instruction designed especially for teens, our prosecutors can come into your schools and provide information about the laws in Virginia with particular emphasis on how they apply to teens in their day-to-day lives. Great topics for government, social studies, civics! A brief description of each class is contained below.
SOL Connection
Virginia Rules lessons have been correlated with Virginia Standards of Learning (“SOLs”). This allows Virginia Rules instructors and educators that invite prosecutors into their classrooms to instruct on these topics to know exactly how lessons contribute to student learning. If you would like to see how a particular class on which you would like instruction correlates with the Virginia SOLs, contact Amanda Howie at Amanda.howie@norfolk.gov
Explore these topics:
Introduction to Laws in Virginia
Why there are laws, where laws come from, how laws are made, and how citizens can have a role in making and changing laws.
Virginia’s Judicial System
How courts are organized in Virginia, what the different courts do, how cases are brought to and heard in local courts, and how judges are appointed in Virginia.
Virginia’s Juvenile Justice System
Why there is a juvenile justice system, how the juvenile system differs from the adult system, the juvenile justice process, types of hearings, when a juvenile can be detained, and possible consequences of committing a crime.
Introduction to a Virginia Courtroom
Roles and responsibilities of persons in a Virginia courtroom.
Criminal Law Basics
How crimes are defined in law, categories of crimes, penalties for violating the law, and legal and hidden consequences for committing a crime.
Civil Law Basics
What civil law is, what torts are, parents’ liability in Virginia, and contracts and who can make them in Virginia.
Bullying
What bullying is and the crimes associated with bullying, understanding that harm of bullying, and what teens can do if they or someone they know is bullied.
Teens and Violence
How violence affects teens, violent crimes and their consequences, and what teens can do about violence.
Dating Violence
What dating violence is and its forms, warning signs for dating violence, what teens can do, and assistance available.
Student Responsibilities
Responsibilities of students to attend and behave at school, authority of schools to set rules and take disciplinary action, consequences of violating school rules and breaking laws, and how schools and law enforcement agencies work together.
Keeping Your Driver’s License
What juveniles must do to keep the privilege of driving, consequences of driving violations, Virginia’s “zero tolerance” laws, parents’ authority related to driving privilege, and tips for driving safely.
Gangs
How gangs are defined in Virginia law, other laws addressing gangs, gang-related crimes, recognizing gangs, reasons people join gangs, and strategies for resisting gang involvement.
Victims’ Rights
Provisions of Virginia’s Crime Victim and Witness Rights Act, types of victim or witness services available in Virginia communities and optional content on domestic and sexual violence.
Family Relationships and the Law
What the law says about the relationship between teens and their parents, the authority, responsibilities, and liability of parents, how Virginia law defines Children in Need of Supervision and Children in Need of Services, and child abuse and neglect.
Internet Safety
Hazards on the internet, cyberbullying and tips for safe internet surfing.
Underage Drinking
Virginia laws restricting and legal penalties associated with underage alcohol possession and use, health and safety risks of underage drinking, and strategies for staying safe and sober.
Teens and Crime Prevention
The impact of crime on teens, personal safety strategies for reducing their likelihood of becoming victims and opportunities for them to become involved in crime prevention activities in their schools and communities. Additional discussion on the impact of a felony conviction.