NH Juvenile Court Diversion Network

Diversion how-to's

Diversion programs deal primarily with the first-time low-risk offender and are based on the assumption that some offenses are more effectively dealt with by sanctions other than prosecution. So Diversion is an alternative to traditional court processing, a procedure that refers a youthful offender to an alternative community-based program.

For more information, here is our NHJCDN Diversion Handbook, chapter by chapter.

To view these files you will need Adobe Acrobat, which is available free at

CONCEPTS AND TERMS USED IN JUVENILE JUSTICE: See the definitions of concepts and terms that comprise juvenile justice, including an overview of how juvenile justice services are organized in the state. (130k)
HOW DIVERSION WORKS: Here is a detailed description of the diversion process including its origins and history, a description of the steps a juvenile case follows from incident through to disposition, and a description of the steps a diverted case follows from referral through to completion. Included is an overview of the types of activities a juvenile can be expected to undertake while in diversion and some of the different services diversion programs offer. (330k)
STEPS IN CREATING A DIVERSION PROGRAM: Outlined here are tne steps for starting a diversion program, from the first inkling that there is a need for alternative services for juveniles to taking the first referral. Many additional resources have been included as well as best practices, open-ended questions, and helpful hints. (400k)
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DIVERSION PROGRAMS: The legal background, concepts, and considerations that need to be addressed by any prospective or current diversion program are presented here. Where possible, “legalese” has been replaced with plain English. Knowing that there will always be situations that make a practitioner question whether or not he/she is acting correctly, we have also included a common sense legal checklist. And, as always, when in doubt, check with a lawyer. (170k)
NETWORK MEMBER ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILES: Each of the member diversion organizations of the NHJCDN is profiled in the following pages. Every effort has been taken to ensure that the data is up-to-date and relevant without becoming overwhelming. While not meant to be an exhaustive description of an organization, the profiles are designed to provide meaningful information to both laypersons and practitioners wanting to know basic information about programs in our state. Readers will quickly notice that each program is organized and run differently in order to meet the needs of the communities it serves, thus further proving that there is no single best program design. (780k)