Alternatives to Traditional Court Processing

Abstract

Abstract Informal processing is essential to juvenile courts. It directs youth away from the formal legal system and the consequences of involvement. Many youth are informally processed and placed into diversionary programs or specialty courts, yet relatively little is known about their outcomes. Youth must admit guilt to be eligible for many programs, and failure to succeed can result in youth returning to the formal court process. As a result, scholars caution that while informal processing is intended to reduce the footprint of the juvenile courts, it may actually increase the number of justice-involved youth and racial disparities in juvenile court. This is likely due, at least in part, to the fact that youth considering diversion programs are often doing so without legal counsel. This chapter describes informal processing, diversion, and specialty courts, before discussing the potential benefits and risks to youth. Recommendations for practice, policy, and research are discussed.