REACH NORTH GEORGIA

The Juvenile Justice System is sometimes referred to as a highway. There are several toll stations along the highway, some at court, others for probation, and some for incarceration.

But none of them are free. There’s a cost to the taxpayer for each toll, and there are collateral consequences that are absorbed by the individual who travels along the road.

And here’s the thing, the costs and the consequences increase the longer you stay on the highway. The longer you stay on the road, the lower the chances are that you ever get off.

The need for Diversion

We collaborate with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to provide meaningful alternatives to incarceration called Diversion Services. We design customized diversion plans for each student referred to our program and support them in completing their plans. Our services include case management, one-on-one coaching, mentorship, classroom learning, leadership development, counseling, and career training. We also assist recently paroled juveniles and young adults through our re-entry program, Eleos Employment, providing coaching and mentoring.

“When children are incarcerated at age 17 or younger, 71 percent end up rearrested within three years of release, according to the Department of Justice. The nonprofit Reach North Georgia, a diversion to incarceration program, aims to keep its clients from returning to the juvenile justice system.”

— Jared Crandall

Founder, Light Work Ministries