Restorative diversion as a developmentally appropriate practice: Community Perspectives of the Neighborhood Opportunity Accountability Board

• In Event: Centering the Perspectives and Strengths of Youth and Communities Impacted by the Justice System

Abstract

Restorative diversion provides young people with developmentally appropriate and culturally affirming supports and engages communities to holistically address responsibility, harm, and misbehavior. While these results show promise, many restorative programs show disproportionately positive impacts –with evidence that it lowers victimization, injury rates, and recidivism—for White youth and have limited guidance on how to sustainably employ culturally relevant, community-centered approaches. This four-year study examines the implementation of the Neighborhood Opportunity and Accountability Board (NOAB) restorative diversion program from the perspectives of NOAB partners and participants, including police officers, community partners, and directly impacted youth and their families in Oakland, California. We interviewed approximately 45 NOAB partners and participants on their perceptions of the program and its potential benefits for justice impacted youth. We found that the NOAB diversion program provides critical mentoring, community resources, and social-emotional and material supports to youth and their families. NOAB partners and participants identified empowerment, healing, relationship-building, and enhanced sense of safety as potential benefits of NOAB. Some identified program capacity as a potential challenge to program expansion. Findings indicate the potential contribution of restorative diversion programs to positive youth development. We share implications for future research, practice, and policy on restorative diversion in adolescence.

Authors

• Jasmine Olivier-McGregor, American Institutes for Research

• Melissa Yisak, American Institutes for Research

• Candace Hester, American Institutes for Research