Police-initiated diversion for youth to prevent future delinquent behavior: a systematic review

BackgroundOverly punitive responses to youth misconduct may have the unintended consequence ofincreasing the likelihood of future delinquency; yet, overly lenient responses may fail to serveas a corrective for the misbehavior. Police diversion schemes are a collection of strategiespolice can apply as an alternative to court processing of youth. Police-initiated diversionschemes aim to reduce reoffending by steering youth away from deeper penetration into thecriminal justice system and by providing an alternative intervention that can help youthaddress psychosocial development or other needs that contribute to their problem behavior.ObjectivesThe objective of this review was to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of pre-courtinterventions involving police warning or counseling and release, and cautioning schemes inreducing delinquent behavior.Search methodsA combination of 26 databases and websites were searched. References of relevant reviewswere also scanned to identify studies. We also consulted with experts in the field. Searcheswere executed by two reviewers and conducted between August 2016 and January 2017.Selection criteriaOnly experimental and quasi-experimental designs were eligible for this review. All quasiexperimentaldesigns must have had a comparison group similar to the police diversionintervention group with respect to demographic characteristics and prior involvement indelinquent behavior (i.e., at similar risk for future delinquent behavior). Additionally, studiesmust have included youth participants between 12 and 17 years of age who either underwenttraditional system processing or were diverted from court processing through a police-leddiversion program. Studies were also eligible if delinquency-related outcomes, includingofficial and non-official (self-report or third-party reporting) measures of delinquency werereported.Data collection and analysisThis study used meta-analysis to synthesize results across studies. This method involvedsystematic coding of study features and conversion of study findings into effect sizesreflecting the direction and magnitude of any police-led diversion effect. There were 19independent evaluations across the 14 primary documents coded for this review. From this,we coded 67 effect sizes of delinquent behavior post diversion across 31 diversion-traditionalprocessing comparisons. We analyzed these comparisons using two approaches. The firstapproach selected a single effect size per comparison based on a decision rule and the secondused all 67 effect sizes, nesting these within comparison condition and evaluation design.ResultsThe general pattern of evidence is positive, suggesting that police-led diversion modestlyreduces future delinquent behavior of low-risk youth relative to traditional processing.Authors’ conclusionsThe findings from this systematic review support the use of police-led diversion for low-riskyouth with limited or no prior involvement with the juvenile justice system. Thus, policedepartments and policy-makers should consider diversionary programs as part of the mix ofsolutions for addressing youth crime

[Memo to J. E. Curry from W. P. Gannaway, May 6, 1964]

Memorandum to Chief J. E. Curry from W. P. Gannaway. Gannaway states that Mrs. Mary Jane Robertson, an employee of the Special Service Bureau, will contact Leon D. Hubert, Jr. at the United States Attorney's Office

[Second Floor of Texas School Book Depository]

Photograph taken on the second floor of the Texas School Book Depository. The photograph features a hallway leading to a lunch room. Boxes are stacked on the right side of the hallway

[Statement by Linnie Mae Randle]

Handwritten statement by Linnie Mae Randle. Randle states that her brother, Wesley Frazier, lives with her. Lee Harvey Oswald's wife lives with Ruth Paine; Oswald comes home on weekends with her brother. On the morning of the 22nd, she saw Lee Harvey Oswald put a long package in the back of Wesley's car

[Report to W. P. Gannaway by F. A. Hellinghausen, February 21, 1964]

Criminal intelligence report addressed to Captain W. P. Gannaway of the Special Service Bureau in Dallas, Texas. The report, which was submitted by detective F. A. Hellinghausen, states that Harvey N. Baker received anti-Irish and anti-Jewish literature in the mail. Baker was concerned about the literature and did not know how his name and address was put on the mailing list

[Lobby of the Texas Theater #1]

Photograph of the lobby of the Texas Theater. A man can be seen sitting in a chair through an open doorway. Emergency doors are visible in the background

[Report to W. P. Gannaway by O. J. Tarver and L. D. Stringfellow, February 17, 1964 #1]

Criminal intelligence report by O. J. Tarver and L. D. Stringfellow regarding an interview with Madie Bell Reese. Reese was standing on the steps of the Texas School Book Depository when the Presidential Motorcade passed by. She reported hearing three gunshots

[Backyard at 214 West Neely Street #2]

Photograph of the back yard of Lee Harvey Oswald's former residence at 214 West Neely Street. The figure of Oswald holding a gun and communist newspapers has been cut out

[Report to W. P. Gannaway by L. D. Stringfellow, January 23, 1964 #2]

Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway of the Dallas Police Department. The report, which was submitted by L. D. Stringfellow, states that Warren Edgar Coffman was employed at the Dr. Pepper Company in Dallas. He had poor credit. Coffman was arrested and charged with being drunk and disorderly in September of 1963

[Enco Map of Dallas, 1962]

Photocopy of an Enco map of the city of Dallas, Texas which was printed in 1962. The map was kept as evidence