Massachusetts Diversion Program Sets Youth on a Positive Path (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids)

The Northwestern District Attorney’s Juvenile Diversion Program (The NWDA-JDP) is an innovative model that works with eligible youth, ages 12-18 years old, facing a delinquency complaint and their families by offering an alternative to the juvenile court system. The program is based on the widely accepted belief that not all cases are best handled through formal delinquency complaints and court hearings and provides eligible youth with the opportunity to successfully participate in the diversion program in lieu of being prosecuted through the traditional court process.

The program aims to connect participants with pro-social activities, counseling, and restorative practices while addressing unsafe behaviors. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis through review of complaints, connecting with victims, prior involvement, mental health concerns, and school input when appropriate to assess whether the program would be a good fit. If the youth chooses not to participate in the program, the case may be referred for prosecution of the complaint, and the usual court process begins.

If a youth is eligible for the program, the juvenile is not arraigned and the Juvenile Diversion Program (JDP) Specialist meets with the youth and their parent/guardian and they develop a plan which may include appropriate assessment, counseling, education, restorative practices, letter(s) of thanks and/or apology and community service outside programs. If a case involves property damage or results in other monetary loss, the youth may also be responsible for restitution.

The NWDA-JDP Specialist uses a Positive Youth Development Framework and works to help youth identify goals and strengths, support pro-social activities and connections, promote positive self-identity and responsibility, and connect with supportive adults.

If the youth successfully completes the diversion program the District Attorney does not prosecute the case, the case will be dismissed. Therefore, no juvenile record will result. If the juvenile does not successfully complete the program or voluntarily withdraws from the program, the case may go forward in court.

The program typically serves 40-50 participants annually with one Diversion Specialist and conducts recidivism checks up to one year after program completion. The program has a low recidivism rate: the average outcome has been 2-3 youth recidivating before the year mark.

The main barriers identified were limited program duration making long-term outcomes difficult to track, insufficient counseling resources in rural areas, and transportation challenges for participants to access distant treatment facilities like A-CRA in Chicopee.