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  FAMILY/SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
 
   

     The Family/Special Victims Unit of the Criminal Division, under the supervision of a designated Assistant Attorney General, prosecutes:

(1) all of the juvenile cases in Family Court wherein a minor is charged with an act that would be a crime if committed by an adult

(2) all cases wherein the victim is a minor, including Child Abuse and Neglect, and Guardian petitions, in addition to Involuntary Committment and Adoption hearings. 

     The Family/ Special Victims Unit includes a social worker who acts as a liason to the social service agencies that may refer cases to the unit. The social worker also assists attorneys in this unit in preparing child witnesses and victims to testify in court. Attorneys in this unit may assist a parent or legal guardian in filing a Petition for Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS) with the Family Court Division of the Superior Court, when they are experiencing problems with a minor child.


 




 
 
Douglas Dick, Esq.
Assistant Attorney General
Family/Special Victims Unit
Virgin Islands Department of Justice
Office of the Attorney General
34-38 Kronprindsens Gade
G.E.R.S. Complex, 2nd Floor
St. Thomas, VI 00802
(340) 774-5666 ext. 190, telephone
(340) 776-3494, facsimile

 
  
 
  
 
Is there anything I can do if my minor child is:

(a)    skipping school
(b)    failing to adhere to a set curfew
(c)    engaging in criminal activity
 
     At the onset, a parent or legal guardian experiencing any problems with his or her minor child should contact the Department of Human Services. If more stringent measures are needed, a parent or legal guardian should contact this unit to file a Petition for Persons In Need of Supervision ("PINS") with the Family Court Division of the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. If the petition is granted, the Family Court will issue an order setting certain conditions with which the minor child must comply. The conditions will vary on a case by case basis.

 
What if my minor child does not comply with the conditions set by the Family Court?
 
     If your minor child does not comply with the conditions set by the Family Court Judge,  he or she can be held in contempt of court and remanded to the Youth Rehabilitation Center on St. Croix.

 
How long can the Judge send my child to the Youth Rehabilitation Center on Saint Croix?
 
     The Family Court Judge has the discretion to send a minor child to the Youth Rehabilitation Center on St. Croix until his or her nineteenth birthday, no matter what the offense may be.

 

When can a minor be tried as an adult?

 
     A minor may be transferred from the Family Court to the Criminal Division of the Superior Court if he or she is fourteen years of age or older at the time the alleged offense was committed, and if the offense charged would be a felony if committed by an adult.
 
What can I do if my minor child is dating or having sexual relations with an adult of which I disapprove?
 
     If you suspect that your minor child is having a sexual relationship with an adult, whether consensual or nonconsensual, it is a crime under Virgin Islands law. You should contact the Department of Justice immediately.