| We know that it can be scary when your child ends up in court. And you probably don’t completely understand what it means when the judge orders him/her into court diversion. In an effort to relieve some of this uncertainty we’ve outlined the process for you so you can see the steps your child will follow.
Step 1: Paperwork is collected
Once all the necessary paperwork is received by the Youth Services Bureau from all involved parties the Youth Counselor will contact you to set up the initial intake meeting.
Step 2: Intake Meeting
During this meeting the counselor will explain the program to you and your child. When you understand what is going to happen and agree to it, you will then sign the necessary paperwork. The counselor will then ask your child a series of interview questions relating to school, interests, the incident, etc. The last part of this meeting is to set up the next meeting, whether it is with the review panel or the counselor.
Step 3: Meet with the review panel
During this meeting the panel will come up with a contract specific to your child and his/her offense. The contract can consist of several tasks, such as community service, paying restitution, and writing apology letters to the victim and/or family members (click here to see a list of Creative Contract Conditions). The panel will talk with your child to determine what to include in his/her contract. A contract deadline is also set at this time. The next meeting will occur in one to four weeks so that you have time to decide if Court Diversion is for you.
Step 4: Start regular meetings with the youth counselor
Your child will be meeting regularly with the youth counselor to discuss the progress of the contract completion. These meetings typically take place at our office, but there is an option to meet at a more convenient location, if necessary.
Step 5: Exit Interview
When all aspects of the contract are complete the child’s counselor will send letters to him/her as well as all other involved parties. The letter will state that the child has successfully completed his/her contract. At this time the process is complete.
If at any time the counselor feels that your child is not working to his/her potential to meet the requirements of the contract she may choose to unsuccessfully close the case and send it back to the court. Possible reasons for unsuccessful closure are: not attending meetings with counselor, poor attitude, non-compliance with tasks assigned by counselor, or failure to complete contract. The counselor will make every effort to help your child complete the court diversion program, but the responsibility falls on the child. The counselor will not do the work for him/her.
|
