Juvenile Sixth Judicial Circuit Diversion

Mission: To provide early intervention, prevention, and diversion services to first time juvenile offenders, truants and traffic offenders through the Teen Program in an effort to relieve overburdened Juvenile by providing non-judicial dispositions of lesser juvenile offenses.

Youth who are new to the criminal justice system, and/or who have committed non- violent offenses, are provided a second chance. Juveniles who are referred to this program and who successfully complete it either have adjudication of the offense withheld or they may earn a complete dismissal of their charges. Acceptance into the program is contingent upon In Teen Court, high school juniors and seniors fill the postions of prosecutor, consent from the victims in the case. defense attorney, clerk, bailiff and (above).

he program’s aims are to divert eligible juvenile offenders from referral to the program, a hearing is held and “sanctions” are formal court proceedings in order to reduce caseloads and allow assigned. Sanctions, which the juvenile must complete, may the Court to concentrate its efforts on the most serious juvenile include restitution, a letter of apology, an essay assignment, T offenders. school attendance and behavior improvements, counseling assessment, community service, and/or educational classes. Another major goal is to closely monitor juvenile progress and follow- through to prevent future offenses. The component offers an array of different classes, such as Conflict Resolution; Drug, Alcohol & Tobacco Awareness; The program has three major components: Juvenile , Gang Awareness and Prevention; To Catch a Thief 1; Maxi- Juvenile Drug Court and Teen Court. 1 – To Catch a Thief is an educational program for juveniles charged with retail theft or Juvenile Arbitration is for first-time offenders. Upon petit theft. The program, in a lecture/discussion format, is designed to be a deterrent for future larceny activities. The program identifies how the offender, offender’s family, the victim and society are affected by theft, in addition to identifying criminal and civil 2005 Performance Report penalties for theft. The To Catch a Thief program is for juvenile offenders of all ages. 1 Juvenile Sixth Judicial Circuit Diversion

mum Security Jail Tour; hearing to check on a Judicial Education; Drop Out juvenile’s progress. GOALS: 1) To provide an Prevention Education; and efficient and cost effective Tour of Juvenile Boot camp. Juvenile Drug diversionary alternative to formal Court is offered in judicial proceedings through the Follow-up hearings are held Pinellas and Pasco Teen Court Program. six to eight weeks from the counties. 2) To ensure swift and sure initial hearing to determine if consequences for first-time all requirements were success- In 2005, offenders, truants, third degree fully met. $120,000 was allo- cated for treament felony offenders and offense- A more rigorous component, the STOP (Service and Treatment for programs in Juvenile specific juvenile offenders. Offender Prevention) Program, is similar in design but is geared for Drug Court in Pinellas 3) To assist juvenile offenders with repeat misdemeanor County. future decision making challenges. offenders and third Service Costs (f iscal ‘05) degree felony offend- Juveniles who 4) To hold juvenile offenders who The cost to the Circuit to provide juvenile ers (excluding of- have been charged come before Teen Court diversion services includes staff cost, fenses involving with misdemeanor or accountable for their actions. certain contracted arbitrator services, and felony drug charges operating expenses. Juvenile Diversion personal violence, use 5) To provide juvenile offenders with costs are offset by the Teen Court Trust of a weapon or grand may be required to Fund, generated by the collection of court educational classes, counseling theft auto). Addi- submit to drug assess- costs, which are assessed in certain ment and random and community services, enabling criminal and civil traffic infractions cases tional sanctions them to make positive choices. pursuant to Pinellas and Pasco County include 50 community urinalysis. A hearing ordinances. service hours and master conducts the 6) To circumvent the progression of Fulltime Employees ...... 13 initial hearing, and (1 State, 4 Pasco, 9 Pinellas) mandatory weekly increased criminal behavior and to Salaries ...... $457,674 phone contact. The appropriate sanctions reduce recidivism. (Other Contractual Services ...... Arbitrator costs Program lasts ap- are applied. Hearings reported under Alternative .) are held monthly to 7) To provide an educational forum Operating Expenses...... $ 3,450 proximately 120 days monitor the progress for non-offending youth. Total ...... $461,124 and involves an additional mid-point of participants. 2005 Performance Report 2 Juvenile Sixth Judicial Circuit Diversion

In Teen Court, the roles of clerk, bailiff, prosecuting and defense attorneys and jury are held by high school juniors and seniors. A hearing officer serves as the Teen Court judge. Upon conclusion of a trial, a teen defendant who is found guilty is sentenced to sanctions similar to those in juvenile arbitration. If using a grand jury format, the teen court jury will directly ask questions to the teen offender. Again, the jury deliber- Teen Court members, seated, take advantage of an opportunity to interact with ates and issues a teen court jury verdict. Judges Frank Quesada, standing near center, and Walt Fullerton, at left. 2005 Objectives & Achievements

OBJECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT

75% of youth participating in the program will successfully complete Pinellas County: 79% the program Pasco County: 97.3%

80% non-recidivism rate of juveniles who have successfully Pinellas County: 91% completed the program. Pasco County: 87% Maintain budget ratio of $150 per diverted juvenile offender. Pinellas County: $133.89 Pasco County: $163.96

A hearing will be held within 30 days of the juvenile being accepted. Pinellas County: 11 days Pasco County: 14 days

2005 Performance Report 3 Juvenile Sixth Judicial Circuit Diversion

Objectives & Achievements

OBJECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT

Develop appropriate sanctions based Programs have been developed in on offense, victim input and juvenile both counties for youths charged with offenders’ individual needs. related to theft, drugs and violence.

Develop and maintain educational Pinellas County: 16 programs that Trends programs that provide drug counseling include mental health and drug and education for juvenile offenders counseling. Statistics for the last six and their families. Pasco County: 10 programs that include mental health and drug months of 2005 indicate that counseling. theft, possession of drugs and paraphernalia, battery (including disruption of a Conduct semi-annual trend Pinellas County: Two programs were added, the Dream (Drug Education and school function) were the reviews. Develop and update programs accordingly. Anger Management) Program and the leading offenses committed JETS (Juvenile Education and by those referred to Pinellas Treament Services) Program. County’s Juvenile Diversion Pasco County: An emphasis was programs. placed on updating and developing programs relating to theft crimes. In Pasco County, theft violence-related crimes Assign professional counseling to Pinellas County: 697 asignments youth who demonstrate a need. topped the list. Pasco County: 164 assignments

2005 Performance Report 4 Juvenile Sixth Judicial Circuit Diversion

Objectives & Achievements

OBJECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT

Accept and divert 3,800 cases, Pinellas County: 2,646 cases; Traffic including 300 cases related to traffic or and Truancy: 704 cases truancy offenses. Pasco County: 1,026 cases

Conduct training sessions for Pinellas County: 2 sessions arbitration hearing masters and youth Pasco County: 2 sessions volunteers.

Pinellas County: Average of 43 youth Recruit and involve a minimum of 10 volunteers per hearing Trends youth volunteers per teen court hearing. Pasco County: Average of 40 youth The Truancy Teen Court volunteers per hearing program measured school Recruit and train 30 youth volunteers Pinellas County: 400 attendance for Pinellas Pasco County: 137 County truants who Reduce truancy by 20%, measured by Pinellas County: Truancy reduced by completed the program, and school attendance by referred youths 68% for those who completed the statistics indicated that in the semester following completion of program. truancy was reduced by 68% the program. Pasco County: Not applicable in the semester following Teen Court will meet with each eligible Pinellas County: 7-10 days program completion. offender and parent/guardian within 30 Pasco County: 10 to 14 days days of program acceptance.

2005 Performance Report 5