Pennsylvania hearing spotlights diversion, restorative programs while experts warn against one-size mandates

A joint House Children and Youth and Judiciary Committee hearing on juvenile justice focused on House Bill 144, a bill to expand juvenile diversion, with system leaders, researchers and providers testifying about evidence, practice and implementation gaps.

The Juvenile Court Judges Commission’s executive director, Bob Tomasini, told lawmakers the commission supports “using diversion whenever appropriate with decisions that are based on each youth’s unique circumstances,” but cautioned against statutory mandates that remove individualized judicial discretion. Tomasini said, “We are concerned about raising the minimum age of jurisdiction from 10 to 13. We are concerned to mandate diversion without considering risk levels or the individual circumstances that each case brings.”

Why it matters: multiple…