Crime Causation and Diversion

Crime Causation and Diversion

Stefen Moss

CJA/374

July 21, 2012

Cory Kelly

Crime Causation and Diversion

In 2010, Maryland's youth population under age 18 was approximately 5,773,552 (Annie E. Casey Foundation, n.d.). The term diversion is defined “as an endeavor to divert youthful offenders from the juvenile justice system" (Bynum & Thompson, 1996). According to Lundman (1993), the perception of diversion is founded on the concept that processing certain youth through the juvenile justice system may do more harm than good. The main argument of the idea is that courts may unintentionally stigmatize some youth for having committed relatively petty acts that might best be handled outside the formal system. In part, diversion programs are also designed to ameliorate the problem of overburdened juvenile courts and overcrowded corrections institutions, so that courts and institutions can focus on more serious offenders.

Within Maryland there are two such programs called the Teen Court and the Baltimore County Juvenile Offenders in Need of Supervision (JOINS).

Teen Courts

The State of Maryland is one of the many states in the United States that has authorized a program called Teen Court. Teen courts are problem-solving courts which main purpose is to provide an alternate disposition for juveniles who have perpetrated a delinquent act, have committed a minor offense, or have been charged with a misdemeanor, and are otherwise eligible for diversion. Teen courts are not staff by government employees, instead they are staffed by youth volunteers who serve in various capacities within the program, trained and acting in the roles of jurors, lawyers, bailiffs, clerks and judges. Most teen courts are sentencing courts in which the offender has already admitted guilt or pled no contest.

A respondent’s sentences will always involve the respondent making restitution to someone harmed or that they have cause inconvenience to by their actions, or creating an...