Juvenile Diversion in Pinellas County

If your child was accused of violating the law, an experienced juvenile defense attorney in Pinellas County, FL, can help. The case might be diverted into a diversion program for a first offense. Attorney Katherine Aranda is experienced in representing young people throughout Pinellas County in Juvenile County. She can help the child make decisions through each step of the process to obtain the best result.

Call 727-210-7004

These juvenile diversion programs leave less of a record. Offenses eligible for a pre-arrest diversion program include shoplifting, retail theft, trespass, possessing contraband (alcohol or marijuana), or a battery not resulting in serious injury.

The diversion programs in Pinellas County require sanctions aimed at improving the child’s behavior, which might include the following:

• attending a counseling assessment
• completing educational classes or experiences
• performing community service
• writing a letter of apology or an essay assignment
• attending school without any unexcused absences
• paying restitution

The case might be referred to one of the following types of juvenile diversion programs in Pinellas County, FL:

• Juvenile Arrest Avoidance Program –
  • In Pinellas County, FL, JAAP helps young people accused of a first-time misdemeanor offense. The case might be “direct” diverted. In a direct diversion, the arrest affidavit is never filed, and the child earns a non-arrest record on a potential misdemeanor charge.
• Juvenile Arbitration in Pinellas County, FL –
  • Juvenile Arbitration is for first-time offenders.
  • After being referred to the program, a hearing is held, and the following types of sanctions might be imposed:
    • restitution
    • a letter of apology
    • an essay assignment
    • school attendance and behavior improvements
    • counseling assessment
    • community service
    • educational classes
  •  The program offers more than twenty (22) different classes and experiences, such as:
    • Conflict Resolution
    • Drug Awareness
    • D.O.S.E.
    • Alcohol & Tobacco Awareness
    • To Catch A Thief
    • a maximum-security jail tour
    • Judicial Education, Truancy-Related Law
    • Medical Examiner’s class
    • Crime Scene Intervention
    • ACE
    • USF College Tour
    • Career Orientation
    • Removing Intoxicated Drivers
    • Controlling Abuse of Prescriptions
    • the Ambassador program
  • Follow-up hearings are held at the end of six (6) to eight (8) weeks to determine if all requirements were successfully met.
• Juvenile Drug Court –
  • Juvenile Drug Court is offered in Pinellas County.
  • For juveniles accused of any misdemeanor or felony drug charge, the juvenile drug court program in Pinellas County, FL, allows the charges to be dismissed if the child enters and completes the program.
  • Participants are required to submit to drug assessment and random urinalysis.
  • A hearing master conducts the initial hearing, and appropriate sanctions are applied.
  • Hearings are held monthly or more often as needed to monitor participants’ progress.
• Service & Treatment for Offender Prevention (STOP) –
  • For juveniles with repeat misdemeanor or third-degree felony offenses, STOP is a long-term intensive arbitration program that requires juvenile offenders to complete specified sanctions.
  • not all types of charges are eligible for STOP including any offenses involving personal violence, use of a weapon, or grand theft auto.
  • If the child completes the program, the child might avoid prosecution and a juvenile record.
  • Additional sanctions might include fifty (50) community service hours and mandatory weekly phone contact.
  • The program lasts about one hundred and twenty (120) days and involves weekly call-ins and an additional mid-point hearing to assess a juvenile’s progress within the program.

Additional Resources

State Attorney on Juvenile Diversion in Pinellas County – Visit the website of the State Attorney’s Office for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, FL, to find out more about special juvenile diversion programs, including the Adult Division Special Program (Project Safe Neighborhood Anti-Gang Initiative), the Community Prosecuting Attorney Service System COMPASS, and the Retail Theft Diversion and Abatement Program.

Attorney for Juveniles Diversion in Pinellas County, FL

If your child was accused of a crime or detained at the juvenile detention facility in Pinellas County, FL, contact an experienced juvenile defense attorney in Pinellas County, FL, at Sammis Law Firm.

Attorney Katherine Aranda is experienced in representing young people accused of crimes prosecuted in juvenile court. We are familiar with all of the juvenile diversion programs in Pinellas County, FL.

She understands the best ways to get the charges dropped by the prosecutor or dismissed by the judge. Depending on how the case is resolved, she can help the child seal or expunge any record of the initial detention.

Visit our office at 14010 Roosevelt Blvd Suite 701, Clearwater, FL 33762-3820, near the Criminal Justice Center (CJC) courthouse.

Call 727-210-7004.

This article was last updated on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.