YOUTH SUPPORT & INTERVENTION

The Juvenile Unit of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney's office prosecutes a wide variety of crimes in the juvenile courts. 

This Unit has also started focusing on prevention and diversion. As an alternative to formal juvenile circuit court charges, a youthful offender may be recommended for a pre-charging diversion program coordinated by the prosecutor's office and the juvenile intake office at juvenile court.  The program discourages juvenile crime and teaches meaningful lessons about accepting responsibility for actions while offering referrals to rehabilitative services within the community.

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Program participants must be between the ages of ten and eighteen and meet certain criteria deemed appropriate by both offices responsible for the diversion program in our judicial district. The Deputy Prosecutor and Intake Officer reviews the nature of a juvenile's offense and determines whether that juvenile is appropriate for diversion from formal court with the use of evidence-based diversion tools and case by case basis of facts that are present in a particular juvenile's case. If the youth is eligible for diversion, the parents are contacted, and a meeting is arranged to enroll the juvenile in the program. After providing the parent and child with information regarding the diversion program, it is their decision to accept or reject the program.  If the youthful offender rejects the opportunity for diversion or fails diversion, then the case continues through the formal filing process.  If the youthful offender accepts the diversion opportunity and successfully completes diversion, then the case is never formally filed, and the juvenile record is kept clean without the need for formal court intervention.