Court Diversion
invest in young people, not prisons
CHOOSE 180 partners with the City of Seattle Prosecuting Attorney’s office to offer young people an alternative to prosecution for alleged misdemeanor legal charges in Seattle Municipal Court.
Instead, they can attend a workshop, led by community members with similar lived experience, and commit to positive change in their lives. They work through a curriculum developed by our team, called a Compass journal. When they complete the workshop, the alleged offense that led to their referral is either dropped before the file is charged so that the participants avoid having a criminal record, or their charge is dismissed after it is filed (depending on where the young person is in the legal process).
The Compass Journal touches on:
Identifying current and future goals as well as needs/areas of support
Reflecting on decision-making patterns and taking personal accountability
Recognizing positive supports to embrace & negative influences to leave behind or minimize.
Some young people are required to attend additional sessions within other CHOOSE 180 programs to connect them with more specific, longer-term support. The overall process for our Diversion program looks like:
Young people make contact with our Diversion Coordinator to schedule their initial workshop and any follow-up sessions
Young people complete their 1:1 workshop and any additional sessions
The alleged offense that led to their referral is either dropped before the file is charged so that the participants avoid having a criminal record, or their charge is dismissed after it is filed (depending on where the young person is in the legal process)
Young people are connected to other positive, supportive resources and programs
For community referrals (not referred through King County or city offices), participation in our workshop or program will not automatically result in dropped or dismissed charges. However, our team is happy to support and advocate for young people to have the best outcome possible while they navigate the legal system. All community referrals also have access to other CHOOSE 180 programs that they are eligible for.
Eligibility: Young people are referred to CHOOSE 180 through our partnership with the City of Seattle Prosecuting Attorney’s Office or community members.
How to sign up: If you’re interested in referring a young person or getting involved, please fill out the Community Referral Form. A member of our team will reach out to you within a week.