Date of Award
5-2018
Degree Type
Research Paper
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Community Development and Planning (CDP)
Department
International Development, Community and Environment
Chief Instructor
Laurie Ross
Second Reader
Shelly Tenenbaum
Keywords
Diversion, Juvenile Justice, Criminal Justice, Court, Detention Alternative, Prison Alternative
Abstract
In October 2017, the city of Worcester began a three-month pilot program that worked to divert youth charged with domestic assault and battery crimes away from the criminal justice system and towards restorative services. Studies show that incapacitation, especially of low level offenders, does not reduce crime or produce better outcomes for individuals, families, or communities. Thus, it is essential to explore alternatives, such as diversion programs, that work to downsize the prison population, target the factors contributing to delinquency, and rehabilitate rather than purely punish offenders. For this study, I interviewed personnel involved in the implementation of the Family Chaos Diversion Program in Worcester to determine the foundations of the program, its challenges and successes, and recommendations for sustaining a program of this type in the future. Through these interviews, I discovered the efforts of the city of Worcester, the District Attorney’s Office, the Clerk’s Office, the Probation Office, and community and professional organizations to work together to implement and maintain a program that was an important step towards reforming the justice system. The interviews, combined with scholarship on the topic of juvenile justice reform, demonstrate that the Family Chaos Diversion Program laid a strong foundation for the future of diversion as an effective response to youth crime in the city of Worcester and beyond, but that further expansion of the program and the implementation of tracking measures will be necessary for its future success.
Recommended Citation
Thacker, Nina, "The Implementation of the Family Chaos Diversion Pilot in Worcester, Massachusetts" (2018). Sustainability and Social Justice. 201.
https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/201
Worcester
Yes
Included in
Criminal Procedure Commons, Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, Juvenile Law Commons, Law Enforcement and Corrections Commons, Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons
