​Make referrals to YLJ

​Who can make a referral?

• ​Referrals can be made by Police Departments, School Resource Officers, Juvenile Community Corrections Officers, District Attorney's Offices, School Administrators, Community organizations, and Community members. Youth are referred to our program in order to divert them away from punitive consequences, including (but not limited to) summonses, probation, adjudication, suspension, or expulsion.

​Which youth are eligible?

• Youth-LED Justice is a diversion program available for youth who are age 20 or younger (for community and school-based referrals) or who have a juvenile criminal offense. Young people referred to our program are called respondents. We work with interpretation services so that language is not a barrier to participation. Due to our capacity we cannot take every case, but we will work with you to recommend another diversion and supports for the young person. Please submit questions about eligibility or the types of cases our program accepts through our form.

​​What happens once a referral is made?

• A Youth-LED Justice staff member will contact the youth and their guardian(s) to schedule an intake meeting. During the intake meeting, staff share about the program's requirements and benefits, discuss the reason for referral, complete paperwork, and conduct a brief screening (AC-OK) with the youth. Staff then coordinate the restorative circle, which is facilitated by trained youth volunteers and advocates and/or YLJ staff. Typical restorative circle participants include the youth respondent, victims/person(s) most impacted, guardian(s), community members, and other supportive adults. A Restorative Plan is created during the process with action items that the respondent is expected to complete in the weeks following the circle. Staff update referral sources on a monthly basis about a youth’s progress in the program.