Probation Diversion Services
As an alternative to court involvement, the Family Court Act provides for local Probation Departments to offer diversion services. The purpose of diversion services is to divert cases from going to Family Court. Diversion services are the only voluntary service offered by the Department of Probation and Community Justice and the only service able to be accessed on a walk-in basis and without a court order. Our department concentrates its diversion efforts on matters related to youth. These youth are identified as Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) or Juvenile Delinquents (JD).
Family Court Probation Officers provide daily intake coverage Monday through Friday. This means that they are the designated contact for the Probation Department if and when people from the community come looking for information or guidance for any family related matter. This type of request is referred to as an “information only” request. Calls are often from parents looking for advice or help with their “out of control” child. The Probation response may encompass a review of departmental services or resources available in the community.
(PINS) 需要监管的人
需要监管的人是指 18 岁以下的青少年，他们表现出习惯性不服从管教、离家出走、违反宵禁令、滥用药物、暴力行为或逃学等问题。 大多数 PINS 转介都是由家长或校区提出的。 PINS 分流服务试图通过提供监督、指导和社区资源转介来解决引起缓刑局关注的青少年冲突。 可转介个人和/或家庭咨询、调解、青少年权益维护计划、暂休或教育或就业评估和机会。 缓刑监督官与学校密切合作，通过与教师会面、倡导学校提供测试或支持服务以及帮助家长与学校管理部门加强沟通，解决逃学和/或行为问题。 家事法庭单位的缓刑监督官被分配到特定的学区，每周都会去这些学校。
青少年犯罪
The Tompkins County Probation Department also offers diversion services to youth issued a Juvenile Appearance Ticket by local police agencies. A Juvenile Delinquent is defined as a person over seven and less than sixteen years of age, who commits an act, which -- if committed by an adult -- would constitute a crime. The youth is required to write a letter of apology to the victim(s), complete community service, pay restitution [if applicable], attend a screening for Victim-Offender Conferencing, and remain law-abiding.