Diversion Program Makes Strides Among Juveniles Since Inception

By Gordon HopkinsJefferson County Commissioners were surprised by the report given by Peggy Galloway, Director of Diversion Services, at a meeting on Tuesday, April 19. When discussing the current state of Juvenile Diversion, Galloway said, “I have one in Juvenile Diversion that’s almost done. I had four all year.”“Wow. That’s really the least that we had since we started the program,” said county commissioner Mark Schoenrock. That covers the period from July of last year until now. For perspective, Galloway reported in the first year of the program that she saw approximately 40 juveniles.A diversion program is a voluntary program that offers a chance for a person charged with certain crimes to avoid having a criminal conviction on their record. Jefferson County offers diversion services for both adults and juveniles.Jefferson County’s Diversion Program first began in 2019. Prior to that, diversion services were provided through an interlocal agreement between Jefferson County and Seward County, which expired June 30, 2019. According to a report to the Governor in 2019, prepared by the commissioner on law enforcement and criminal justice, “Well-designed community based programs and evidence based practices can effectively reduce adolescent recidivism without relying on punitive punishments of the criminal justice system.”The report also stated, “Alternatively, programs providing therapeutic interventions aimed to help youth address anti-social attitudes, learn problem-solving and perspective-taking skills, along with family counseling and mentoring consistently reduce recidivism rates.” When asked what she attributed the decline to, Galloway said, “Communication. Caring. Letting them know that we’re actually here to help you, not here to beat on you. You know, everybody else does that.”In addition to Juvenile Diversion, Jefferson County also offers an Attendance Support Program, which addresses truancy issues. Heather Watson is director. Both of these programs are intended to prevent children from getting caught up in the court system. Another factor Galloway attributed the lower number of participants in the Juvenile Diversion program to is word of mouth, “And they talk to each other, you know I think, too, with a lot more education that’s coming out, they’re hearing more about getting help for, you know, they see what happens long term with addiction. They see what happens long term with mental health and all that. And so, when they can kind of stop in their tracks now and look around and say, I don’t want to be like that.”Galloway said, “We’re getting a lot more things for the prevention side.”“So, I think it’s a testament to the fact that we’re making a difference. We’re improving,” said commissioner Schoenrock. “I hope it’s not that we’re missing the target field that the need is still out there, we’re dismissing the target and that’s why our numbers are less. I don’t think that’s the case. Based on the feedback that Peggy gets, I think it is that we’re making a difference. And we’re addressing the issue.”

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