Addressing the Critical Needs of Youth Offenders: Evaluating the Impacts of Grant-Funded Programs
Prepared for:
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Minimizing Youth Involvement with the Courts: A Profile of Face Forward Grantees' Diversion Services
Associated Project
Key Findings
Key Findings:
- Face Forward grantees primarily diverted low-risk offenders before formal processing or adjudication.
- The majority of the programs did not obtain a formal designation as a diversion program by the juvenile justice system.
- Operating as a formal diversion program ensured a steady source of referrals and close collaboration with justice partners, but gaining formal status was a long process.
- Some programs provided diversion services without a formal designation. These programs had more flexibility in program design but some struggled to compete for referrals.
- Partnerships were crucial for successful diversion programs. Criminal justice partners were essential for referrals, and partnerships with community agencies expanded the range of services offered.
This brief describes the Face Forward grantees’ approaches to diversion, the challenges they encountered, and lessons they gleaned from their experiences.
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