—Victim
This program is a voluntary, confidential alternative to court proceedings for certain juveniles and adult responsible parties and holds the responsible parties accountable for their unlawful behavior in a way that teaches responsible action and deters future involvement in delinquent or criminal activity. Cases are referred on an individual basis by the State’s Attorney’s Office.
The underlying intent of Restorative Justice is to repair harm that is caused by the crime and to address underlying conditions that led to the offense. Youth Services relies on community volunteers to represent community values to hold the person who offended accountable for his/her conduct.
Youth Services also strives to include any harmed party to the maximum extent possible to determine who was harmed, the extent of the harm, and how to repair that harm. Upon successful completion of the Diversion Program and a clean record for two years, criminal charges are expunged as if they never occurred. Of the persons who complete Youth Services’ Restorative Justice process, 90% do not commit another criminal offense.
