Grafton County Alternative Sentencing Programs seek to provide an effective and meaningful alternative to the traditional criminal justice system for first time juvenile offenders and for individuals with a mental illness, or drug and alcohol addiction.

Court diversion program, citizen review committee, behavior contract with youth

CHINS ("child in need of services") is a legal process governed by state statute (RSA 169-D) that helps to address specific behavioral problems of children under the age of 18, specifically, a child who is expressly found to be: * Habitually, willfully, and without good and sufficient cause, truant from school; OR * Habitually running away from home; OR * Repeatedly disregarding the reasonable and lawful commands of his/her parents, guardian or custodian and placing himself/ herself or others in unsafe circumstances; AND * Is expressly found to be in need of care, guidance, counseling, discipline, supervision, treatment, or rehabilitation as a consequence of one or more of the preceding behaviors. Additionally, a CHINS petition may be filed when a child has committed willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations (but not felonies or misdemeanors) under the Criminal Code of this state if committed by a person 17 years of age or over, OR willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations or misdemeanors (but not felonies) under the Motor Vehicle Code of this state if committed by a person 16 years old or older. (Note: Only a law enforcement officer or prosecutor should file a CHINS petition under these sections.) WHEN IS A CHINS APPROPRIATE? A CHINS petition may only be filed by a parent/guardian/custodian when the following conditions have been met (RSA 169-D:5, III) * The child and family have sought to resolve the expressed problem through available community alternatives, * The problem still remains, AND * Court intervention is needed to resolve the problem. You must utilize and exhaust other existing remedies and resources before seeking court intervention. The back of this pamphlet lists some information and referral resources. You may also explore the following website: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DHHS_SITE/default.htm. CHINS WITHOUT COURT INVOLVEMENT: If all other remedies and resources have not been exhausted, a local Juvenile Probation & Parole Officer (JPPO) who is familiar with local resources may suggest alternatives. This does not involve the court. Call the DCYF Central Intake Line (800-894-5533) to request this alternative. For other options, contact your local police department and ask to speak to your police department's Juvenile Officer.

OYS is committed to improving the way we prevent juvenile delinquency by insuring that we offer quick response to the problems of youth, working with families and utilizing community resources for program development, information update and dissemination, and education access. Youth participation and responsibility play a large part in the short-term intervention.

CHINS ("child in need of services") is a legal process governed by state statute (RSA 169-D) that helps to address specific behavioral problems of children under the age of 18, specifically, a child who is expressly found to be: * Habitually, willfully, and without good and sufficient cause, truant from school; OR * Habitually running away from home; OR * Repeatedly disregarding the reasonable and lawful commands of his/her parents, guardian or custodian and placing himself/ herself or others in unsafe circumstances; AND * Is expressly found to be in need of care, guidance, counseling, discipline, supervision, treatment, or rehabilitation as a consequence of one or more of the preceding behaviors. Additionally, a CHINS petition may be filed when a child has committed willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations (but not felonies or misdemeanors) under the Criminal Code of this state if committed by a person 17 years of age or over, OR willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations or misdemeanors (but not felonies) under the Motor Vehicle Code of this state if committed by a person 16 years old or older. (Note: Only a law enforcement officer or prosecutor should file a CHINS petition under these sections.) WHEN IS A CHINS APPROPRIATE? A CHINS petition may only be filed by a parent/guardian/custodian when the following conditions have been met (RSA 169-D:5, III) * The child and family have sought to resolve the expressed problem through available community alternatives, * The problem still remains, AND * Court intervention is needed to resolve the problem. You must utilize and exhaust other existing remedies and resources before seeking court intervention. The back of this pamphlet lists some information and referral resources. You may also explore the following website: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DHHS_SITE/default.htm. CHINS WITHOUT COURT INVOLVEMENT: If all other remedies and resources have not been exhausted, a local Juvenile Probation & Parole Officer (JPPO) who is familiar with local resources may suggest alternatives. This does not involve the court. Call the DCYF Central Intake Line (800-894-5533) to request this alternative. For other options, contact your local police department and ask to speak to your police department's Juvenile Officer.

Court diversion program for first time offenders under the age of 18. Serious, physically aggressive or drug offenses are excluded from this program. Program participation is voluntary. Services for program participants may include anger, drug, alcohol counseling.

Community based services include youth tracking services, in-home counseling, traditional counseling, transportation and the Juvenile Offender Locator Team (JOLT).

CHINS ("child in need of services") is a legal process governed by state statute (RSA 169-D) that helps to address specific behavioral problems of children under the age of 18, specifically, a child who is expressly found to be: * Habitually, willfully, and without good and sufficient cause, truant from school; OR * Habitually running away from home; OR * Repeatedly disregarding the reasonable and lawful commands of his/her parents, guardian or custodian and placing himself/ herself or others in unsafe circumstances; AND * Is expressly found to be in need of care, guidance, counseling, discipline, supervision, treatment, or rehabilitation as a consequence of one or more of the preceding behaviors. Additionally, a CHINS petition may be filed when a child has committed willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations (but not felonies or misdemeanors) under the Criminal Code of this state if committed by a person 17 years of age or over, OR willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations or misdemeanors (but not felonies) under the Motor Vehicle Code of this state if committed by a person 16 years old or older. (Note: Only a law enforcement officer or prosecutor should file a CHINS petition under these sections.) WHEN IS A CHINS APPROPRIATE? A CHINS petition may only be filed by a parent/guardian/custodian when the following conditions have been met (RSA 169-D:5, III) * The child and family have sought to resolve the expressed problem through available community alternatives, * The problem still remains, AND * Court intervention is needed to resolve the problem. You must utilize and exhaust other existing remedies and resources before seeking court intervention. The back of this pamphlet lists some information and referral resources. You may also explore the following website: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DHHS_SITE/default.htm. CHINS WITHOUT COURT INVOLVEMENT: If all other remedies and resources have not been exhausted, a local Juvenile Probation & Parole Officer (JPPO) who is familiar with local resources may suggest alternatives. This does not involve the court. Call the DCYF Central Intake Line (800-894-5533) to request this alternative. For other options, contact your local police department and ask to speak to your police department's Juvenile Officer.

CHINS ("child in need of services") is a legal process governed by state statute (RSA 169-D) that helps to address specific behavioral problems of children under the age of 18, specifically, a child who is expressly found to be: * Habitually, willfully, and without good and sufficient cause, truant from school; OR * Habitually running away from home; OR * Repeatedly disregarding the reasonable and lawful commands of his/her parents, guardian or custodian and placing himself/ herself or others in unsafe circumstances; AND * Is expressly found to be in need of care, guidance, counseling, discipline, supervision, treatment, or rehabilitation as a consequence of one or more of the preceding behaviors. Additionally, a CHINS petition may be filed when a child has committed willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations (but not felonies or misdemeanors) under the Criminal Code of this state if committed by a person 17 years of age or over, OR willful repeated or habitual conduct constituting offenses that would be violations or misdemeanors (but not felonies) under the Motor Vehicle Code of this state if committed by a person 16 years old or older. (Note: Only a law enforcement officer or prosecutor should file a CHINS petition under these sections.) WHEN IS A CHINS APPROPRIATE? A CHINS petition may only be filed by a parent/guardian/custodian when the following conditions have been met (RSA 169-D:5, III) * The child and family have sought to resolve the expressed problem through available community alternatives, * The problem still remains, AND * Court intervention is needed to resolve the problem. You must utilize and exhaust other existing remedies and resources before seeking court intervention. The back of this pamphlet lists some information and referral resources. You may also explore the following website: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DHHS_SITE/default.htm. CHINS WITHOUT COURT INVOLVEMENT: If all other remedies and resources have not been exhausted, a local Juvenile Probation & Parole Officer (JPPO) who is familiar with local resources may suggest alternatives. This does not involve the court. Call the DCYF Central Intake Line (800-894-5533) to request this alternative. For other options, contact your local police department and ask to speak to your police department's Juvenile Officer.