Effects of restorative justice pre‐file diversion legislation on juvenile filing rates: An interrupted time‐series analysis

Abstract

Research Summary This study uses an interrupted time‐series design to analyze the impacts of legislatively supported restorative justice pilot projects in Colorado on overall juvenile filing rates in implementing districts, and it compares those outcomes with nonimplementing districts. On average, pilot districts demonstrate statistically significant reductions in juvenile filing rates during the first year of funding, and significant rates of decline are sustained in the years after initiation. The effects of restorative justice pre‐file diversion systems, however, vary by judicial district, and they can be partially explained by differences in implementation. Policy Implications Restorative justice pre‐file diversion programs accompanied by funding supports and accountability measures—introduced by the Colorado legislature in 2014—are associated with varying declines in juvenile court filings. Implementation matters, however. States considering the use of similar reforms should account for how to best support pilot sites’ localized characteristics. Funding restorative justice pre‐file diversion presents one mechanism for reducing court involvement, but it should not be offered as a panacea.

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