Belize’s Diversion Program Offers Youth a Second Chance

On Lake Independence Boulevard, the Community Rehabilitation Department (CRD) is changing how Belize handles young people in conflict with the law. Its National Diversion Program offers 12- to 17-year-olds an alternative to incarceration—one focused on guidance, skills, and community rather than punishment.

The program, supported financially by the European Union (EU) since 2024 and technically by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Partnership of the Caribbean and the European Union on Justice (PACE Justice Programme), addresses minor offenses by helping youths avoid the formal criminal justice process altogether. Instead, they receive court advocacy, counselling, life-skills workshops, and after-school activities—all under one roof at The HUB Resource & Community Center.

The EU has invested globally in child-friendly justice initiatives, including diversion measures and alternatives to detention, because research consistently shows these approaches reduce reoffending, ease court caseloads, and produce better long-term outcomes. The focus is on rehabilitation—offering young people community-based options that address underlying issues rather than branding them with a criminal record.

The CRD’s model is built on five principles. The Court & Case Management Unit advocates for each youth in court, prepares social inquiry reports, facilitates conflict mediation, and conducts life-skills sessions. The Counselling Services Unit provides culturally sensitive, age-appropriate therapy for individuals and families to address behavioural, emotional, and social challenges. The Criminal Records Secretariat oversees rehabilitation tracking and record expungement to help youth start fresh. The HUB is a vibrant community space offering sports, fine and expressive arts, technology clubs, and vocational training to build confidence and skills. Meanwhile, the New Beginnings Youth Development Center offers residential care, rehabilitation programs, and structured aftercare for youths remanded by the courts.

The impact has been tangible. In 2024, a total of 110 youths completed the diversion program—102 referred through Family Court and eight through police diversion. Males made up 91% of participants, while females accounted for 9%. Most were aged 16 or 17, reflecting the age group most at risk of deeper criminal justice involvement.

Between January and April 2025, the program opened 51 new cases—49 through court referral and two via police diversion—with a 70% acceptance rate. Cases not accepted typically involved more serious offenses or were dismissed outright.

Officials highlight that beyond helping individual youths, the program reduces pressure on the justice system, cuts reoffending rates, and strengthens community bonds. As one CRD representative put it, the initiative is “about rewriting the story for our young people—turning a brush with the law into a turning point toward a better future.”

Behind each statistic is a young life redirected. For 18-year-old Giovanni Sutherland, introduction to CRD came when his case manager joined him in court. Initially hesitant, Giovanni agreed at his parents’ urging to take part in the National Diversion Program. “It gave me a good feeling because they really helped me,” he recalls. Through regular one-on-one sessions, he was taught to “stable myself” and to distinguish right from wrong. He quickly noticed smaller victories: “I don’t get ignorant like before… I stay out of trouble.” At home, family ties are strengthened: “I get closer to them like how I used to be.” Today, Giovanni divides his time between program activities and working alongside his father on their boat, Pringles, diving and fishing towards a future he’s eager to build.

Giovanni’s father offers an equally powerful testament: “He was on the honour roll, but jealous peers tried to pull him into gangs. This program taught him to set goals, stay focused, and not get led astray.” When asked if he’d recommend the National Diversion Program, Giovanni’s answer is simple: “It helps me not get myself into problems.”