This study uses a retrospective cohort design to explore the impact of juvenile diversion programs on non-serious delinquent and status offenders. The study examines the influence of demographic characteristics, legal factors, and diversion program components, on short term program outcomes for two juvenile Community Diversion Programs in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
The data for this study are from a non-random sample of juveniles (N = 533) who were referred to one of the two programs between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2004 as a result of having been charged with committing a delinquent act or status offense. The short term outcomes examined were program completion, recidivism, and offense escalation. The examination period was for one year from the date of program hearing with a one year follow up for those youth who completed the program or had their case dismissed.
Using the perspectives of restorative justice and reintegrative shaming as theoretical guides, this study examines the relationship between diversion programmatic components and outcomes, hypothesizing that the amount of exposure to reintegrative program components would be positively associated with program completion and negatively associated with recidivism and offense escalation.
The results of the study did not support the hypotheses. Although one Community Diversion Program utilized significantly more reintegrative components than the other program utilized, there were no significant differences in program outcomes between the two diversion programs. Regression analyses also failed to show any significant interactions between reintegrative program components and outcomes. Findings did reveal significant interactions between educational components and therapeutic components on program outcomes.
Additionally, the study examined whether the diversion programs impact status offenders differently from delinquent offenders and whether any demographic and/or legal factors influence program outcomes. No differences in impact were found between the two categories of offenders. However, demographic and legal factors were found to interact with program outcomes.
The study suggests that future research on juvenile diversion program components and program outcomes would help to inform decision making with regard to program operations and also serve to help assess the programs overall effectiveness.