Teen Diversion

The Teen Diversion Program's goal is to divert selected teens to a juvenile court alternative. The programs are in place to provide second chances for juveniles who are not violent offenders and have no prior criminal record.

Core Services

Teen Court

The Teen Court Program’s purpose is to prevent patterns of criminal behavior in minors, age 17 and younger. It is run by non-offending high school students that volunteer their services. This provides the opportunity for the volunteers to learn about legal processes, the court system, and career opportunities. Effective July 1, 2004, Florida Statute 939.185 granted the counties authority to impose a surcharge on court costs of an amount up to $65 when a person pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is found guilty of, or adjudicated delinquent for, any felony, misdemeanor, delinquent act, or criminal traffic offense under the laws of Florida. twenty five percent of this surcharge gets allocated to the Teen Court Program.

Juvenile Arbitration

The Juvenile Arbitration Program decreases the number of juvenile court cases by diverting select first time teen offenders from formal court proceedings. Approval from the appropriate court authorities is required for select teens to participate in the program. Teens that participate and successfully complete their sanctions are dismissed of their charges.