January 9, 2020 drrickyp

Exploring Organizational Strategies and Participant Experience in the Young Adult Diversion Court

The Young Adult Diversion Court (YADC) was created to empower young adults and break the cycle of recidivism by targeting the underlying issues of behavior. This study describes the development of the YADC, and examines the perceived benefits of participation. As such, it tells the story of an innovative intervention in criminal justice, and the young adults share their own stories as they were involved in this system. This qualitative study is informed by narrative inquiry and interpretive interactionism to understand the lived experience of participants. Young adults shared how they made connections with caring program coordinators and opened to the possibility of continued involvement. Many received counseling services and trauma-informed care. They reported multiple positive benefits that include accessing community resources, financial support, and intern opportunities to prepare for employment. This study provides an alternative example for the criminal justice system working to influence prosocial outcomes for young adults.

Link to online post: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15564886.2019.1711275?casa_token=tpRib7QNnlUAAAAA%3ApqxJDdHyC4_yx5ZN_dH3gZ9UzpDcYGxuVZoNbSuwOOdWQD2Tdt1Ju5hbcenm6r7g8E5At6bgUdD5Fw