Nassau County Peer Diversion Court

Peer Diversion Court is a peer-led courtroom where teen respondents that violate the law are given a second chance at a better future. Respondents go through a mock court trial and are held accountable by their peers, many who were once in their shoes. We emphasize restorative justice, community engagement, and competency building. Our program is backed by the Nassau County Probation Department and Nassau County Executive. Our restorative justice model has been highly effective since launching through the Nassau County District Attorney Office in 2012. We have achieved a 96% success rate, meaning less than 4% of the 1,000+ justice-impacted youth that have completed our program engage in repeated criminal behavior. We are expanding our restorative justice model throughout the Greater Philadelphia area under the auspices of the Philadelphia District Attorney Office, Wharton, and likeminded community partners.