Court Diversion Program for Juvenile Offenders and At-Risk Youth I. TOPIC Youth Education, Community Service, and Crime Prevention II. LOCATION Berlin, Northern New Hampshire III. SUBJECT Court Diversion Program for Juvenile Offenders and At-Risk Youth IV. SUMMARY In 1992, the Tri-County Community Action Project assumed the administration of a juvenile court diversion program established by the Berlin Police Department. The program provides youthful offenders the opportunity to participate in community service projects and educational programs as alternatives to the traditional corrections system. The program also targets its services to at-risk youth. A Court Diversion Committee, comprised of community volunteers, works with youthful offenders and their parents to develop individualized programs of education, restitution, and motivational activities. These programs are set forth in contracts; after the youths successfully complete the terms, all charges are dismissed. The program has specific educational courses for drug, alcohol, and shoplifting offenses. Other educational activities are chosen to fit other offenses. Motivational activities include community service projects and a Summer Youth Adventure Program that engages youths in healthy risk activities to give them alternatives to crime, drugs, or alcohol for achieving physical and/or mental "highs," e.g., hiking, canoeing, and mountain biking. All aspects of the program are designed to provide enjoyable alternatives to crime, drugs, and alcohol that develop self-confidence, cooperation, and leadership skills. Young offenders and at-risk youth are referred by juvenile courts, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and other social service programs. V. SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE Established a program that involves the juvenile courts, a committee of community volunteers, parents, teachers, and school officials in a program of education, restitution, and motivation to reinforce the community's stake in the lives of its youth. Since 1992, the program has assisted 67 youths who entered the juvenile court system to bypass the courts. An additional 69 at-risk youths have also participated in the program. VI. CONTACT Lawrence Kelly Executive Director Tri-County CAP (A Community Action Agency) 220 Main Street Berlin, New Hampshire 03570 603-752-7001 603-752-7607 (FAX) VII. CASE STUDY The Problem: Evidence from across the country indicates that juvenile crime is on the rise throughout the United States. Berlin, a rural town of fewer than 12,000 people in northern New Hampshire, did not have a major problem with juvenile crime. However, the lack of economic growth in the region, due in part to closings in manufacturing industries, seriously limited opportunities for area youth. Therefore, the town was concerned about the juvenile offenders it did have and other children identified as "at-risk" of turning to crime, drugs, or alcohol. The Berlin Police Department had established a court diversion program for juvenile offenders, but it dropped the program in 1990. The Approach Adopted: The Tri-County Community Action Program (Tri-County) would take over the diversion program and offer educational, recreational, and motivational activities as alternatives to traditional punishment. Tri-County would also make its activities available to at-risk youth who were referred by parents, teachers, counselors, courts, or other social service programs. How They Implemented The Approach: Tri-County obtained funding from the city of Berlin to re-establish the program. To fund specific programs of diversion activities, Tri-County generated financial support from the Coos County government, the state Drug Free Schools Committee (part of the New Hampshire Office of Drug and Alcohol Prevention), and Founders Hall (a non-profit drug and alcohol abuse prevention center). The police department's original diversion program successfully used a volunteer Court Diversion Committee and a Court Diversion Coordinator. Tri-County adopted this structure and hired a Coordinator to recruit and train the 16-member Diversion Committee. The committee is comprised of community volunteers and includes high school seniors. Rotating panels with five members, one of which is always a high school senior, will meet with a young offender referred by the juvenile courts and the offender's parent(s) to negotiate a program of activities as an alternative to the traditional youth corrections system. The program is set forth in a contract; upon completion of the contract's terms, the court dismisses the charges. The programs adopted in these contracts have two or three components. (1) Restitution. In cases that involve stolen or damaged property, the offender will have to return the items or pay to repair or replace property. (2) Education. The offender learns about the offense committed, the people effected by the offense, and the consequences of continuing to commit the offense. Specific education programs have been developed for drug, alcohol, and shoplifting offenses. For other offenses, educational activities are selected to fit the offense. (3) Motivation. The offender participates in community service activities that serve a dual purpose: the community benefits from the service provided, and the youths participate in positive activities and learn to feel good about themselves and what they are doing. Community service activities include playground maintenance, preparing and delivering food baskets to needy families, cleaning parks, planting trees, and repairing and maintaining trails. Some of the youth referred by the court, as well as at-risk youth referred by other sources, participate in the Summer Youth Adventure Program. This program is a collaborative effort of the Court Diversion Program, the Berlin Recreation/Parks Department, and Founders Hall. Youths participate in healthy risk activities such as hiking, canoeing, and mountain biking. Through these activities they learn alternatives to crime, drugs, and alcohol for achieving mental and/or physical highs. Each activity is designed to develop a sense of self-confidence, unity, cooperation, and leadership. The Challenge Course, the educational component for drug and alcohol offenses, is an early alcohol and drug intervention program that is also open to at-risk youth. The Coos County Department of Human Services funds the course. Teenagers, 13 through 18, can participate in a self-assessment related to alcohol and drug issues in a confidential setting. Results: In the first three years it operated the program, Tri-County CAP helped 67 youths referred by the juvenile courts bypass the court system. Those youths performed 772 hours of community service, completed educational programs, and participated in numerous healthy activities. Of these 67 youths, 80 percent have committed no subsequent offenses. An additional 39 at-risk youths participated in the Summer Youth Adventure Program, and 30 at-risk youths passed the Challenge Course on drug and alcohol issues. VIII. PROGRAM SPIN-OFFS The Summer Youth Adventure Program and the Challenge Course have been as successful with at-risk youth as they have with youthful offenders referred by the juvenile courts. The demand for these programs' services increases every year as parents, teachers, school counselors, and other social service programs identify more at-risk youths. IX. KEY WORDS Alcohol Abuse Prevention At-Risk Youths Community Action Agency Community Service Corrections Court Diversion Courts Crime Prevention Drug Abuse Prevention Education Healthy Risk Activities Juvenile Crime Juveniles