Government students had the opportunity to tour the Virginia Beach (VB) Circuit Court and Jail on both Tuesday, February 25 and Wednesday February 26 as part of the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office (VBSO) docent program.

According to Sheriff Rocky Holcomb, the purpose of the program is to educate high school students on the consequences of living a life of crime, in addition to providing students with knowledge on the criminal justice system and life behind bars.  

Holcomb explained that the tours act as a “wake up call” for students to make good decisions, such as staying away from drugs, and understanding the long-term effects of their actions. 

”Many young people see crime and incarceration portrayed in movies or on social media, but seeing it firsthand makes it clear that jail is not a place anyone wants to end up,” Holcomb said. “It’s (the program) an opportunity for them to ask questions, hear real stories, and walk away with a better understanding of personal responsibility, consequences, and the role of law enforcement in the community.” 

Students arrived at the courthouse promptly at 9:00 a.m. where they were greeted by Circuit Court Docents Michelle Goodove and Bill Daily. After walking through the metal detectors, the group climbed four flights of stairs to courtroom number seven.

Students were assigned roles equivalent to those in a live courtroom, and had the opportunity to learn about the specific responsibilities of each position. After seniors sat in their designated role, they were introduced to Court Bailiff Deputy Dailey.

According to Dailey, his duties include escorting inmates to the courtroom and keeping visitors safe. He told students that on Wednesday alone, he brought 70 inmates to court, and explained that there were a total of 30 inmates in “lock-up”.

Then, Goodove and Daily discussed the education needed to serve roles in the courtroom, jury duty and trials, and the four levels of the court system.

According to Goodove, only attorneys and judges are required to attend law school and get a degree; stenographers and court clerks only have to “pass the bar.”

She also said that most defendants choose to have a bench trial, or a trial without a jury. Goodove explained that defendants typically choose this method because obtaining a conviction from a judge takes less time than trying to get a unanimous verdict from all 12 jurors.

Students were then led into packed court room number five to hear a variety of different ongoing cases.  Some of the cases students heard were related to the illegal possession of drugs, defamation, and motion hearings. Students had the opportunity to see an attorney give their argument, witness a live sentencing, and experience a day in court.

They were then taken down four flights of stairs and escorted by Master Deputy Sheriff Officer Batton and Deputy Sheriff Jacobson through a narrow hallway to the VB Correctional Center classroom. Students were directed to stay on the right, in a single-file line, and to look straight ahead as they passed inmates.

In the classroom, students learned about the VBSO, and some of the supplies inmates are provided with in jail. Afterwards, students were introduced to an inmate currently serving time in the VB City jail. He stressed the importance of staying in school and not becoming a victim to peer pressure.

Students then traveled through a cold, dimly lit tunnel where they were able to stand inside of real inmate cells. Students toured both group and individuals cells. While the group cells included 20 bunks, a television, and a bathroom, the individual cells were cramped and bare, with only a toilet inside. There are currently 996 inmates serving time in the VB City Jail.

Finally, students were brought back through the tunnel, to see how new inmates get mugshots and their jail ID, and where officers complete electronic “fingerprinting”.

After experiencing a “day in the life” at the VB Circuit Court and Jail, students returned to CHS, leaving with a better understanding of the judicial system and a new perspective on the realities of living in jail.

“It was really interesting to see what it was like and how courts work,” senior Miku Cowell said.