A short video produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation describes a model for community-led diversion and development for youth who might otherwise face justice system involvement. It features Los Angeles County and its use of youth diversion programming by local service providers to hold young people accountable for their actions. Based on current California law, approximately 80% of youth arrests are eligible for diversion.
Los Angeles County is significantly expanding the use of diversion from the juvenile justice system because the alternative — arresting young people and formally processing their cases in juvenile court — increases the likelihood of subsequent arrests, school struggles and employment challenges. Juvenile court processing is especially detrimental for youth who are assessed as low risk of reoffending and have little or no prior record of delinquency.