Youth Diversion Team (YDT)
What is the YDT?
The Urban Community Alliance New Haven Youth Diversion Team (YDT) provides an alternative pathway for youth who may benefit from guidance, mentorship, and community-based support. The program is designed to redirect eligible youth away from formal juvenile court involvement through restorative, strength-based programming and individualized support.
YDT is not a punitive program, but a supportive, community-based approach that helps youth take accountability, make responsible decisions, and move forward positively.
What are the demographics of the program?
Youth may be eligible for the New Haven YDT if they meet the following criteria:
- Age: Youth is between 10 and 17 years old at the time of the incident
- Offense Type: Misdemeanor (1st or 2nd offense); non-violent, low-level offense
Examples may include: larceny, criminal mischief/vandalism, disorderly conduct, trespassing, threatening, possession of alcohol or cannabis, and fights without serious injury - Incident Severity: The incident did not result in, or could not have resulted in, a serious bodily injury or arrestable felony offense
- Residency: Youth resides in New Haven
- Accountability: Youth must demonstrate a willingness to take responsibility and participate in restorative programming. Parent/guardian consent is required
Excluded: Firearm-related offenses or serious violent felonies
What Diversion Means
Diversion provides youth with an opportunity to accept responsibility, repair harm, and strengthen relationships. It also helps youth avoid formal court processing while building the skills and confidence needed for future success.
Referral Partners
Referrals may come from:
- Police Departments
- Juvenile Courts
- School Administrators
- Parents/Guardians
- DCF
- Youth Service Bureau
- Community Partners & Organizations
Program Steps
Police referral and YDT program steps work together to provide a restorative pathway.
Step 1: Intake
Initial meeting with youth and guardian.
Step 2: Assessment
Identify needs and goals.
Step 3: Action Plan
Personalized support plan.
Step 4: Engagement
Participation in services.
Step 5: Completion
Program graduation and follow-up.
How can community members get involved with the New Haven YDT?
Community members can support the New Haven YDT by volunteering on review panels. Community Volunteers benefit by engaging with young people, offering understanding, and listening to the circumstances which led to crimes – circumstances like absenteeism, having no social activities, mental health, disengagement, and financial hardships.
When volunteers share their input, we work together as a unit and offer a platform that allows these families a chance to speak with others who are willing to assist them.
Please email the panel applications to Program Manager Victor Jones (victor.jones@ucainc.org)
Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice model:
UCA implements Balanced and Restorative Justice as the conceptual framework, based on specific values and principles, that defines and guides the activities employed to translate these values into practice. Restorative justice provides an alternative to the punishment and offender rehabilitation approaches to delinquency, although it does not eliminate the appropriate use of confinement and treatment.
These are the 11 key principles of the Balanced and Restorative Justice philosophy which provides the framework for the New Haven JRB:
- Crime is an injury.
- Crime hurts victims, communities, and juvenile offenders and creates an obligation to make things right.
- All parties should be a part of the response to the crime, including the victim if he or she wishes, the community, and the juvenile offender.
- The victim’s perspective is central to deciding how to repair the harm caused by the crime.
- Accountability for the juvenile offender means accepting responsibility and acting to repair the harm done.
- The community is responsible for the well-being of all its members, including both victims and offenders.
- All human beings have dignity and worth.
- Restoration or repairing the harm and rebuilding relationships in the community is the primary goal of juvenile justice.
- Results are measured by how much repair was done rather than by how much punishment was inflicted.
- Crime control cannot be achieved without active involvement of the community.
- The juvenile justice process is respectful of different cultures and backgrounds—whether racial, ethnic, geographic, religious, economic, age, abilities, family status, sexual orientation, or other—and all are given equal protection and due process.