Juvenile Diversion Programs

Juvenile Curfew Diversion Programs
First Offender Program
Youth First Offender
STRIVE - Truancy Reduction Program Online
Project SCRUB (Stop Crime Remove Urban Blight)
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Juvenile Curfew Diversion Program Created in February 1993 by the City of Phoenix Police Department, in conjunction with the Parks, Recreation and Library Department (now the Parks and Recreation Department), this program is designed to work with youths in violation of the city Curfew Ordinance (City Code 22-1 & 22-2). Under the program, police officers transport youth in violation of this ordinance to the nearest city recreation center acting as a curfew facility. Youth are informed of the curfew ordinance and are detained until a parent or guardian arrives. Current recreation centers serving as curfew sites are Desert West , South Mountain and Sunnyslope community centers.

The diversion program offers first-time offenders an opportunity to attend a diversion class for them and their parent(s) or guardian(s). The four-hour parenting class covers decision-making skills, consequences of negative behavior, parenting skills, conflict resolution and communication skills.

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First Offender Program

This program is offered in conjunction with the Maricopa County Juvenile Court Center. Youth who commit certain misdemeanor or status offenses (such as shoplifting, trespassing and theft) may be eligible for the program. Youth are offered this program in lieu of being assigned to a Juvenile Probation Officer.

Youth and parents attend a three-hour workshop and youth must then complete 8 hours of community service. This must occur within 60 days of being assigned to the program. Youth can be referred back to the Maricopa County Juvenile Court if they fail to comply with the program.

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Youth First Offender This program is designed to prevent youth between the ages of eight and 12 from entering the juvenile justice system. Youths referred from juvenile court can get individual/family counseling, structured community service activities and life-skills training. The structured community service consists of three hours of supervised community service and three hours of supervised recreation. For this age group, shoplifting offenses accounted for 64 percent of referrals.

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STRIVE - Truancy Reduction Program Online

A program started in 1995 to address an increasing number of students truant from school. Currently there are 11 school districts and 120 schools participating in the program.

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Project SCRUB (Stop Crime Remove Urban Blight)

This program was developed in 1994 in response to increased graffiti vandalism through Phoenix. It is a court-ordered community service program operated jointly by the Maricopa County Juvenile Court Center and the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department.

The primary function of SCRUB is to provide constructive work for youth that are court ordered to complete from 8 to 200 hours of community service. Most participants are repeat offenders and may have committed offenses that required detention or probation. Some community service projects that Project SCRUB participants can participate in include: assisting other agencies with neighborhood cleanups; help the Arizona Department of Transportation with highway beautification; remove graffiti, assist St. Vincent de Paul in feeding the poor and maintaining their facility.

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