The Emerging Adult Program (EAP) is a restorative, pre-charge diversion program for young adults to improve criminal justice outcomes.

The EAP is designed to help young adult offenders (18-24 year olds) earn a no-file on a recent criminal charge by participating in a community facilitator-led restorative justice circle. It is a voluntary program that requires the young adults to accept responsibility for their actions, but offers them the opportunity to redirect their lives by completing a personalized accountability plan that has them amend for their crime, access local services and resources, and engage in the community.

This collaborative inter-agency program involves Community Solutions of Central Oregon, Thrive Central Oregon, Deschutes Defenders, Central Oregon Inter-governmental Council (COIC), and Deschutes County Behavioral Health Services Intensive Youth Services.

The EAP launched in 2021 as a pilot initiative for 13 young adults. In September 2022 seven participants have successfully completed the pilot and four were still actively engaged.

Also in September 2022, the DA's Office was awarded a restorative justice grant form the Criminal Justice Commission to expand the program to 50 young adults. To implement the next phase of EAP Community Solutions of Central Oregon and DA's Office are recruiting community members to serve as EAP community facilitators. Learn more about how you can participate in this program (click here).

EAP Program Goals

Increase community safety

Improve victim and offender outcomes

Reduce recidivism

EAP Participant Expectations

Reduce the three-year recidivism rate for young adults participating in the program to 30%.

Improve community safety by redirecting 50 young adults per year into a program that increases education and/or employment opportunities.

Improve victim outcomes by connecting victims to social services and increasing the likelihood of receiving restitution by 50%.

Expand victim access to community services by engaging 60% of our victims our victim centered cases with a case manager.

Eliminate the need for approximately 120 court hearings.

EAP Objectives

Accept responsibility for your actions in the case.

Participate in a community-facilitator led Restorative Circle.

Agree to complete a personalized intervention plan.

Do not reoffend within 6 months.

Regularly connect with a case manager.

Reconnect periodically with the community-facilitators during program's six month enrollment period.

EAP Eligibility

18-24 years old

Engaged in an approved type of crime.

Committed a crime in Deschutes County

Live in Deschutes, Jefferson or Crook County

General Questions

What is the Emerging Adult Program (EAP)?

The Deschutes County EAP is a voluntary restorative justice diversion program for adult offenders between the ages of 18-24 years old. The goal of EAP is to improve the lives of the victim (harmed parties) and the young adult (responsible party) who have made a mistake, by helping the young adult make the situation right and assisting them with getting their life back on the right track in order to avoid the unintended consequences of an arrest record.

The program involves trained community volunteer facilitators that meet with the young adults in restorative circles to understand their situation in a supportive environment. The facilitators work with the young adult to establish a personalized accountability plan, and a case manager provides assistance to the young adult and the harmed party. The responsible party is engaged in the program for at least six-months.

For additional details see the EAP Brochure.

How can I participate?

EAP is currently only open to 50 young adults. Selected young adults will be contacted by the EAP team to let them know that they are eligible to participate.

If you think you are eligible and have a case that has NOT been charged yet by the DA’s Office, you may contact the EAP Coordinator at EmergingAdult@dcda.us to ask that your case be considered.

Will this change the outcome of my case?

If you successfully complete the Emerging Adult Program and do not incur any new arrests while enrolled, your case will earn a no-file; meaning it will not be charged by the DA’s Office and it will not show-up on your permanent record.

What happens if I don’t complete the program?

If you commit a new crime or you do not make progress toward completing the agreed upon intervention plan, you will be terminated from the Emerging Adult Program. Your case will then be referred back to the DA's Office to be charged through the tradional criminal justice system, and the legal benefits of the program will no longer be available to you.

What happens if I op-out of the EAP after I have been accepted?

If you enroll EAP, but decide to no-longer participate, you will no longer be eligible for the program‘s legal benefits. Your case will then be referred back to the DA's Office to be charged through the traditional criminal justice system, and the legal benefits of the program will no longer be available to you.

When and where are the EAP Restorative Circles held?

The days, times and locations of the EAP Restorative Circles are currently being set. When the new dates and locations have been finalized this page will be updated.

How can I learn more about the program?

Eligible individuals that are interested in potentially participating in the Emerging Adult Program will be invited to participate in a Zoom Orientation meeting. The EAP Orientation meetings are held on select Tuesdays at 4:00pm.

How often do I have to attend an EAP Restorative Circle?

As an EAP participant, you will connect with the EAP community facilitators in a Circle approximately four times over six-months. All of these Restorative Circles will be held on Wednesdays or Thursdays at set times.

You will also connect at least monthly with your EAP case manager.

What is a Restorative Circle?

Restorative Circles are born out of indigenous societies from around the world as a supportive way to address challenges or discuss complex issues. A Restorative Circle creates an environment that 1) allows relationships to be built because everyone is valued, 2) judgement is not passed, 3) all participants have an equal opportunity to speak, and 4) everyone is there to seek an understanding to a problem.

The criminal justice system has begun to embrace the Restorative Circle concept as a way to build community and replace the tradition punitive forms of discipline for some types of criminal cases.

Our EAP restorative circles are facilitated by trained community members that believe in the restorative justice process and want to provide other community members, who have been involved with the criminal justice system, an opportunity to make a life change through their support and encouragement. Some of our facilitators also have had their own ‘lived’ experience in the criminal justice system and can relate on a personal level to some of the challenges our EAP participants may be experiencing.