CHOICES 

Restorative Justice helps youth who have made mistakes learn skills to stay out of trouble in the future. One program that teaches this is called "CHOICES." It’s taught in many local communities across the state and helps youth learn how to make good decisions, so they don’t repeat bad behaviors.

Community Juvenile Arbitration Program (PDF)

The Community Juvenile/Youth Arbitration Program is a community-based program that provides fast track accountability for first-time youthful offenders charged with committing nonviolent crimes. These youths are diverted from the formal justice system to an arbitration hearing or conference conducted in or near their communities. Trained volunteer arbitrators conduct the hearings/conferences and monitor the youths’ progress throughout the program, which is authorized to operate by Solicitor’s Offices in all 16 judicial circuits in South Carolina and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. 

The three goals of the Arbitration Program are:

• To hold young offenders accountable for their actions and for the harm they cause to their victims and communities.
• To increase the competency and learning of young offenders so they can become productive, law-abiding citizens.
• To ensure public safety by strengthening a community’s capacity to prevent and control crime

The youth’s participation is voluntary and requires an admission of facts or guilt. After determining the facts of the case, the arbitrator works with all participants to establish agreeable and appropriate sanctions for the youth to complete, ensuring that he or she repairs the harm caused to his or her victim(s) and community and learns from the experience. These actions may include:

• Paying monetary restitution
• Performing community service
• Apologizing to the Victim(s)
• Attending educational programs

Successful completion of the Arbitration Program allows the youth to make amends for his or her actions and avoid formal prosecution in court. If the youth does not successfully complete the program, he or she is referred to court for prosecution. 

The Arbitration Program does not accept:

• violent offenders,
• previous diversion program participants,
• or truants and other status offenders. 

Contact: Arbitration@djj.sc.gov

Earn and Return (PDF)

Earn & Return is a youth accountability program of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). This program provides young offenders with an opportunity to earn money through their own work to repair the harm they have caused to their crime victim(s) and the community through paying restitution.  

The Earn & Return program is accomplished in collaboration with members of the community that are interested in seeing youth recover from past mistakes, making victims whole. 

It’s Not Just About the Money... 

While earning money to pay restitution to victims is very important, the program has 3 other key goals: 

• To hold offenders accountable for the harm they have caused to their victims, as well as their community, through service work and financial restitution.
• To build relationships with positive adults in the community who will teach youthful offenders job work skills, so that they may become productive citizens.
• To enhance community safety by helping youth realize the damage they have caused and turn their efforts to repairing the harm.

What Youth are Eligible? 

DJJ youth supervised on probation or parole, juveniles under contract and Juvenile Arbitration participants are eligible for Earn & Return.

These youth perform work at local community service sites.

Upon completion of the community service work and review of the timesheet by supervising staff, the documentation is forwarded to the Arbitration and Restitution Specialist who then forwards it to DJJ Fiscal Affairs. There the youth’s restitution account is credited based on the hours they worked at the current minimum wage rate. Youth do not receive any money directly for their work. 

A check for the money earned is issued on behalf of the youth participant to repay their crime victim and mailed directly to the victim, with a letter from DJJ acknowledging the donation. 

Juveniles who participate in the Earn & Return Program also must attend either a Victim Impact Class or Victim Empathy Class.

Girl’s Circle

Girl’s Circle is a program for girls ages 9 to 18 that helps them feel good about themselves, make real connections with friends and adults, and express themselves in fun and creative ways. The group is run by trained women who work at local DJJ offices. Each group has 5 to 10 girls who meet once a week to talk and do activities. They cover important topics like friendship, body image, being yourself, handling stereotypes, trusting yourself, staying safe in relationships, learning about different cultures, avoiding risky behaviors, setting goals, and taking care of themselves.

Gang Resistance, Education, and Training (G.R.E.A.T) 

G.R.E.A.T. is a program in schools across the state that helps stop gang activity and violence before it starts. Police officers and DJJ probation officers teach the lessons in the classroom. The program is designed to help youth stay out of trouble, avoid violence, and stay away from gangs. In the lessons, students learn important life skills to solve problems without fighting or breaking the rules. The program has 13 weekly one-hour lessons, plus a fun summer program and special training for families to work together.

Intensive In-Home Services

Intensive In-Home Services offers a unique combination of rehabilitative behavioral health services that focus on strengthening the family unit in the community. Service plan development, individual therapy, family therapy, family support, and crisis intervention services are offered in the youth’s home setting several hours each week.

Lunch Buddies

Lunch Buddies is a program where students in elementary, middle, and high schools get to spend time with a caring adult volunteer. A Lunch Buddy meets with the student for lunch once or twice a month to share food, have fun, and talk. They also help with school activities. This program gives students a chance to grow, make good choices, and get support, while also letting DJJ give back to the community and make a difference in the lives of youth.

Project: Adopt-A-Class (PAAC)

Adopt-A-Class is a program to help prevent violence. Local DJJ offices "adopt" classes at elementary and middle schools where students may need extra support. DJJ staff spend at least one hour a month with the students, teaching them about making good choices, building character, and becoming responsible citizens. This program is a team effort with the SC Department of Education, the SC Bar Association, and the SC Department of Mental Health.

Restoring Carolina through Youth Service 

Every September, hundreds of DJJ youth, staff, and community partners take part in the Restoring Carolina through Youth Service event. This event happens at the same time as the National Day of Service. It shows how DJJ is committed to helping make communities better places to live, work, and play. It also gives DJJ youth and staff the chance to give back to their communities in a positive way, while learning about Restorative Justice—working to repair harm and make things better.

Teen After-School Centers (TASC)

TASC programs give youth a safe and structured place to go after school until their parents get home. DJJ teams up with local churches, community centers, and other organizations to run these centers. Youth can join activities and get supervision during this time, which helps keep them out of trouble. The program is designed to help youth make better choices and stay away from crime. It’s especially for youth who need extra support and guidance, including those on probation or parole.