Healing Harms Restorative Youth Diversion

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

CCEJ’s Restorative Youth Diversion Program reduces the number of youth who are impacted or involved with the justice system in Los Angeles County. Research published in October 2013 by the Labor/Community Strategy Center noted the oversized role of police in Los Angeles schools and the disproportionate impact the policing had on Black and Latinx/e youth, leading to higher rates of ticketing, arrest, and incarceration for these youth. In May 2022, the LA County Division of Youth Diversion and Development traced the ways in which youth’s involvement with the justice system leads to barriers that prevent them from completing their education or accessing employment, impacting their future success. CCEJ’s diversion program creates more equitable systems of accountability, increasing youth engagement with their families, schools and communities by keeping youth out of the juvenile justice system.

CCEJ’s Restorative Youth Diversion program is one of LA County's only juvenile diversion programs rooted in Restorative Justice practices offered to youth between 13 and 17 years of age. The majority of youth (85%) who are referred to CCEJ’s program are Black, Latinx/e, Asian/Pacific Islander, or Bi/Multi-Racial. Youth typically spend 3-6 months in the program. After youth are referred by law enforcement, CCEJ’s staff provide intensive case management over multiple sessions, supporting youth to reflect on the reasons for their harmful actions and the negative impact they have caused. Youth participate in a facilitated Restorative Justice process (“Circle” dialogue) to address harm caused between themselves and the person/people harmed, with the presence and support of family members and others. The process is focused on accountability and meeting the needs of the person harmed and the community, rather than on punishment. CCEJ facilitates Circles with youth who are involved in physical assault, burglary, drug offenses, property vandalism, school truancy, sexual harm, and trespassing. With support from a LA2050 grant, CCEJ will expand services to include a Career and Education Pathway program to increase the likelihood of CCEJ’s youth to enroll in post-secondary education and develop essential skills for pursuing employment after high school. Activities will include career and education workshops, mentorship, and learning tours to schools and companies.

In 2013, CCEJ was one of the first organizations in LA County to use Restorative Justice processes to divert youth from the justice system. CCEJ's program demonstrates the effectiveness of community-based alternatives to punishment and policing. In contrast to programs which use a “scared straight” model, CCEJ’s program emphasizes care over punishment and provides a process through which youth can be held accountable for their actions while building resiliency skills to prevent future harmful actions. According to law enforcement partners, 90% of youth in the diversion program have no further justice system contact. If CCEJ’s work continues to be successful, LA County will increase resources for youth development programs and continue to close jails and prisons which punish young people and isolate them from their communities. The number of youth incarcerated or on Probation will decrease, and more LA County youth will graduate from high school and access higher education and careers.

CCEJ’s Restorative Youth Diversion is an existing project that will expand services with support from the LA2050 grant. Intake forms and exit surveys collect data on the impact of the program, as youth share the impact of the program on their knowledge, skills and awareness of the impact of their actions. CCEJ interviews parents during the case closure to capture outcomes related to improvement of youth’s relationships with their families and networks of support. For the 100 youth served annually, one of the most meaningful measures of success is that charges are removed from their record and they can move forward in life without the barriers that result from having a record in the justice system. Beyond this, CCEJ helps youth take accountability for their actions and strengthen socio-emotional wellness. As one participant shared: “CCEJ helped me know that I'm not the only one going through things. I learned we don’t have to be defined by what some would consider our biggest mistakes.”