Baltimore City Juvenile Screening and Diversion Program

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

Baltimore City's Juvenile Screening and Diversion Program will reduce juvenile recidivism by offering diversion services for youth ages 7 to 17 arrested for non-violent offenses in Baltimore City. Trained Diversion Assessment Specialists housed in City's Juvenile Booking Facility will work to assess youth eligible for diversion and refer them to diversion programs. A Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment will be conducted to determine the needs of each youth and to make referrals to appropriate, evidence-based services as an alternative to entry into the juvenile justice system. A Google Document database will be used to record information about each participant and offense. The assessors will use this data to measure progress towards the program goals. A Baltimore City Diversion Committee will meet each month to evaluate program progress, to monitor protocols, policies and procedures around the diversion process, and to recommend, discuss, and approve of modifications to the program. Funds will be used to hire and support the work of two full-time Diversion Assessment Specialists. NCA/NCF