Diversion

Diversion means taking children out of the criminal justice system.

Offering children who commit less serious offences and are at low risk of reoffending alternatives to being charged with (prosecuted for) criminal offences (they are also called out of court disposals).

Children who get in trouble for the first time or for less serious offences can be dealt by the police without going to court. If a child admits doing something wrong, usually during a police interview, the police should always consider alternatives to prosecuting the child (also called out of court disposals).

Pre court measures (also called out of court disposals) are:

• no further action

• triage

• community resolution

• youth caution

• youth conditional caution