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Juvenile Restorative Justice
The 22nd District’s Juvenile Restorative Justice and Diversion Program is an alternative to the traditional court process for eligible juvenile offenders. The primary goal is to prevent further contact with the police and criminal justice system by providing a variety of services to meet individual, family and community needs with the intention of reintegrating these individuals into the community. These young people are referred to as clients, and participate in Diversion with their parent or guardian.
Diversion programs
Diversion programs focus on teaching skills and providing opportunities to practice those skills. Our office strives to implement restorative ideologies and practices to the diversion process through the use of community collaboration and an emphasis on repair, responsibility, and reintegration. Clients are assigned to programs based on their needs and strengths. The length of time in Diversion varies depending upon the individual needs of the clients and may range from three months up to two years.
In general, clients who have committed a Felony 3, 4, 5 or Felony 6 property offense and/or a Misdemeanor 1, 2 or 3 are eligible for Diversion. Juveniles who commit a misdemeanor or felony property offense may be offered Diversion services in lieu of formal court proceedings. Diversion does not discriminate due to ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.