MISSION STATEMENT The Diversion Program is a voluntary What are the differences The Diversion Program through program where an agreement is between Diversion and th prepared and signed by the Diversion Marquette County’s 25 Circuit Formal Juvenile Court? Specialist, youth and parent(s). By Court, Family Division (Juvenile Court) is available to first‐time participating in the Diversion Program, offenders. The primary objective of the youth is able to take responsibility DIVERSION the Diversion Program is to redirect for his or her actions without having a  Proceedings are confidential youths away from the formal public juvenile record. Diversion files and private processing in the juvenile justice are confidential. After successfully  No lawyer is appointed completing the Diversion Program, the system, while holding them  The juvenile remains in the juvenile’s record remains non‐public accountable for their actions. custody of parent(s) and is destroyed 28 days after the th DIVERSION PROGRAM juvenile’s 17 birthday. A youth may  Lower court fees are assessed The Juvenile Diversion Program is an truthfully say that they have not been  Juvenile records are destroyed early intervention program designed convicted of a . 28 days after the youth’s 17th to keep adolescents ages 8 to 16 birthday if the program is from entering or re‐entering the The Diversion Agreement may successfully completed include any or all of the following: juvenile justice system. Many  Community Service Work juveniles referred are first‐time FORMAL JUVENILE COURT offenders who have been charged  Written Assignment/Essay with a status offense, such as  Letter of Apology  Hearings are open to the public Runaway, Incorrigibility or Truancy.  Meetings with the Diversion  Youth may hire an attorney or Misdemeanor charges for first‐time Specialist have the court appoint an offenses such as shoplifting or attorney to represent them possession/consumption of alcohol  Restitution  Youth appears in the courtroom may also be eligible for the Diversion  Drug and Alcohol Education Classes Program.  Drug and Alcohol Assessment before a judge or referee   Random Drug and Alcohol Screening Youth may be placed out‐of‐home, Diversion is a way of working with such as the Marquette County  Victim Impact/Empathy Programs youth who are charged with an Youth Home, Foster Care, or a  Restorative Justice offense where the youth does not go secure detention facility to court and there is no trial. Instead  Anger Management  Court fines assessed of having the case tried in a formal  Life Skills Training  If the youth is found responsible courtroom setting before a judge or  Curfews referee, the youth and his or her for the charge(s), the is  Restriction of Association family meet with the Marquette a public record  Educational Requirements County’s Juvenile Court’s Diversion Specialist. REFERRAL PROCESS LEGAL TERMS A juvenile form called “Complaint Request for Action, Delinquency STATUS OFFENSE: An offense where a Proceedings” is available to parents, juvenile repeatedly disobeys his or her and schools for Status Offenses. parent(s), fails to attend school, or runs The form can be found under the Court away from home. Status offense section on the Marquette County Web violations can only be committed by a Page under Juvenile Court. juvenile, not an adult. http://www.co.marquette.mi.us/ departments/courts/juvenile_court INCORRIGIBILITY: When the juvenile is repeatedly disobedient to the The completed form must first be reasonable and lawful commands of his submitted to the Marquette County or her parents, guardian, or custodian. MARQUETTE COUNTY Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review. If the Prosecuting Attorney TRUANCY: When a juvenile is JUVENILE authorized a charge, they may prepare repeatedly absent from school without a petition or authorize the Complaint DIVERSION PROGRAM good cause and willfully absents Form to proceed with action in Juvenile himself or herself from school or other Court. learning program or repeatedly violates rules and regulations of the school or Once a petition or complaint is received other learning program. from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Juvenile Court will send a notice to RUNAWAY: When the juvenile has the youth and parent(s) to attend a deserted his or her home without The Juvenile Diversion Program diversion conference or a preliminary sufficient cause operates under the jurisdiction inquiry. of the 25th Circuit Court,

Part of the Diversion Agreement may Family Division (Juvenile Court) require screenings to assist the For information regarding the Diversion Specialist in evaluating Diversion Program, please contact certain needs or services, and assess Laura Koen‐Apple, risk factors and placement needs. Diversion Specialist (906) 225‐8291 One screening tool is called MAYSI‐2 (Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument 2) and another resource screening tool used by the Juvenile Court is MJAS (Michigan Juvenile Assessment Survey).