Welcome to the Washingtonville Juvenile Diversion Program. This is a voluntary program that will help a juvenile develop positive self-esteem, personal values, communication skills, dealing with stress and peer pressure, and skills in setting goals. Over a several week/month course the juvenile will be involved in an array of self-motivated programs. The completion and success of this program is contingent upon the cooperation of the juvenile, the Juvenile Officer, and the Parents/guardians. Lack of cooperation from a juvenile or parents/guardian will get a case forwarded to the County Juvenile Court. The lack of cooperation is defined as, missing scheduled appointments, refusing to follow referrals, refusing to follow guidelines that are set on that person, and persistent calls or letters that are never answered. Upon the successful completion of this program the case will only be filed with the Washingtonville Police Department, and no formal charges will be filed at that time. By choosing to participate in the Washingtonville Juvenile Diversion Program, the juvenile is waiving his/her right to go to court and is agreeing to:
  • Accept responsibility for making necessary changes in behavior
  • Participate in unpaid community service work and/or an approved counseling, education, rehabilitation, or supervision program
  • Not to re-offend
  • Pay restitution to victim(s), when applicable

Who is Eligible for the Program?

  • Youths who are 10-17 years of age. Younger offenders must be approved by village administrators and accompanied by a parent/guardian.
  • Youths who have parent/guardian permission.
  • Youths who are first time offenders (Occasionally a second time offender will be accepted.)
  • Youths who are charged with a misdemeanor offense.
  • Youths who are out of the control of their parents or guardian.
  • Youths who display unruly behaviors.
  • Youths who are truant from school.

Referrals can be made by:

  • Police Department
  • Schools
  • Parents/Guardians
  • Social Services agencies
  • Courts

The diversion program accepts a variety of complaints. Examples of such complaints are:

Trespassing, Drug/Alcohol Complaints, Falsification, Littering, Criminal Damaging, Petty Theft, Telephone Harassment, Truancy, Criminal Mischief, Arson, Disorderly Conduct, Simple Assault, Curfew, Sound Amplification, Unauthorized use of MV, Underage Smoking, Menacing, Obstruction of Justice, Receiving Stolen Property, Unruly Complaints.

The Juvenile Diversion Program works with eligible first-time juvenile offenders as an alternative to formal court proceedings. The individuals listed on the previous page, can make referrals, if a juvenile appears to be "at-risk" for criminal involvement. These programs give youth an opportunity to work through problems outside the juvenile court system. If the needs of the juvenile cannot be addressed within the program, he/she will be recommended for court intervention.

A contract is written up with specific conditions for the juvenile and parent. The conditions of each juvenile's contract are developed based on the complaint and the discussion that takes place during the first appointment. The juvenile, parent/guardian, and the Diversion Officer will be present at the meeting, which will take place approximately 1 week after the charges are drawn up. Recommendations from the parents, teachers, and arresting officer will be taken into consideration when deciding on the best program for the juvenile.

Activities

  • Intake/Assessment
    Is completed for all Juveniles who will be entering the diversion program. If there is an indication that the youth or family is in need of other community resources, referrals will be provided.
  • Letter of Apology (Mandatory)
    In at least one page, the juvenile must apologize, take full responsibility for the incident, and list the consequences received as a result of the incident.
  • Essays (Mandatory)
    Juveniles reluctant to participate, or those in situations where a letter of apology is not appropriate, are required to write at least a one-page essay explaining what they did, why it was wrong and the changes they want to make while on the diversion program.
  • Employment
    Juveniles over 16 are often required to get a part- time job. These juveniles are required to submit five applications a week until they obtain a job.
  • Community Service (Mandatory)
    Juveniles will perform at least 20 hours of community service. Projects include but are not limited to, graffiti removal, trash pick-up, help with community events, help with volunteer organizations, etc...
  • Restitution
    (If applicable), a juvenile must pay for damages to a person(s) or property. If 16 years of age or older, a juvenile must obtain a part-time job to pay for the damages. If a juvenile is under 16 years of age, the parents are held responsible. The juvenile will remain on the program until the debt is paid.
  • Early Curfew (Mandatory)
    All juvenile who enter the program will be given a curfew of 6:00 pm. If caught breaking the curfew, the juvenile will be referred to the County Juvenile Court, charged with the violation, and their original charges. The only exceptions will be those individuals participating in school events and jobs.
  • Driving Restriction
    Juveniles who meet the requirements of a misdemeanor traffic offense will be given driving restrictions.
  • House Arrest
    If deemed appropriate during assessment a juvenile may be placed on house arrest for a period not less then 14 day and not greater than 30 days.
  • Probation (Mandatory)
    After the completion of Restitution (if applicable), and Community Service, the juvenile will be placed on probation for the period of time disclosed in the assessment. Juveniles who break their probation will be referred to the Juvenile courts immediately. There are NO exceptions.
  • Alcohol and Drugs
    Juveniles must refrain from the use or possession of alcoholic beverages, tobacco or illegal drugs. Random drug/alcohol screenings could be administered by an outside agency, if we believe the juvenile to have a drug or alcohol problem or the juvenile was arrested for one such problem, random screenings are mandatory. The screening would be at the parent's/guardian's expense. If we believe the juvenile to have an alcohol or drug problem, we may at that time make a referral for an assessment. If the assessment shows an ongoing use of drugs and/or alcohol, we would notify the parents, who would be responsible for obtaining treatment. Treatment would also be at the parent's expense, unless volunteers would be willing to donate their time. We would be happy and available to help find an appropriate treatment facility.
  • Study Sessions or Group Study Sessions
    The juvenile officer, associates, and/or teachers will voluntarily give individualized study sessions upon appointment, if there are enough residents interested, we will perform group study sessions at a volunteers house or a disclosed location. The group sessions will be open to the public, but must be limited to residents only. All who would attend would be required to have a parent or guardian sign them up for the program. Upon enrollment the parent/guardian would sign a waiver of responsibility to protect the volunteers, and the Village of Washingtonville and its entities.
  • PLEASE NOTE: The officers are not certified teachers and will not act as such. We are there to assist the juvenile in studying and answering any question they may have to the best of our ability. This particular program is being designed so that juveniles can learn to communicate, enhance study habits, and most importantly, improve there overall performance in school, if this program starts to become a problem or is abused in any way, it will be canceled immediately.

    In closing, this program is being designed to improve the quality of our community. We can accomplish this by pointing children in the proper direction for a successful future, and install a lasting impression on the residents of our fine village. This program is not only for discipline, but to educate these juveniles in the fine art of self -control. With the support of local businesses, churches, schools, residents, officers, and village administrators, we can succeed in changing our juvenile's lives, one person at a time.