Date of Award
5-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Patrick Donnay
Abstract
The rise of juvenile diversion programs in Minnesota has sparked widespread discussion, especially as the nation addresses its concerns about overcrowded jails and prisons stemming from past "tough-on-crime" policies. Minnesota has responded by creating alternative pathways for juvenile offenders, aiming to keep them out of the traditional justice system while still holding them responsible for their actions. However, research and existing literature are unclear as to which of these diversion programs help reduce juvenile arrest rates. Different factors in each case could provide insight into which programs are most effective. I seek to explain why certain Minnesota counties have been more successful in lowering their arrest rates between 2012 and 2018 through a series of bivariate and multivariate analyses. I used Unified Crime Report Data and data on county policies from United States Census Bureau American Community Survey which examines various diversion programs in Minnesota counties. Tentative results show that the more personalized the diversion program is, the more successful the county is in reducing juvenile recidivism. For juvenile diversion programs to be successful, they have to be personalized and have higher contact with the juvenile offender.
Recommended Citation
Floden, Victoria, "Juvenile Diversion Programs in Minnesota Counties and their Effect on Arrest Rates" (2024). Political Science Theses and Capstones. 2.
https://pines.bemidjistate.edu/capstone-polisci/2
