Adolescent Diversion Project

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There are fourteen states in the U.S. that do not have a minimum age for trying children as adults, some children as young as eight have been prosecuted. Other states have set a minimum age of ten, twelve, or thirteen years old.
In January 2001, Lionel Tate, a twelve-year old boy was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of a six-year old girl. Tate stated that he was imitating a wrestler, which he regarded as his hero, when he body-slammed, kicked, and knee-dropped six year old Tiffany Eunick. As a result, he was convicted of first-degree murder. Tate was rejected of leniency suggestions by the defense and prosecutors as well as denied requests to reduce the charge. If he had been approved, it would
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The Adolescent Diversion Project, a strength-based, advocacy oriented program, for example, diverts arrested youth from formal processing in the juvenile system and provides them with community-based services instead. The Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is a multidimensional psycho-educational intervention designed to promote pro-social behavior in chronically aggressive and violent adolescents, using techniques to develop social skills, emotional control and moral reasoning. Kirkholt (England) Burglary Prevention Project is a burglary reduction program which involves working with burglary victims, their neighbors, and potential offenders to remove opportunities and motivations to commit burglary. Lastly, Operation Ceasefire which is a police-solving strategy that seeks to reduce gang violence, illegal gun possession, and gun violence in communities of Boston, Massachusetts. These and many other alternative programs aim to intervene, de-escalate, and provide alternatives for juvenile offenders. All of these programs have been rated to be effective and psychologically healthier for juveniles. Contrary to popular belief, studies have found that juveniles who are tried as adults tend to re-offend sooner and more often than those treated in the juvenile system. “Adult processing of youths in a criminal court actually increased recidivism rather than having incapacitative effects on crime control and community protection”