Picente And Local Officials Sign Arrest Diversion Agreement

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, District Attorney Scott McNamara, Sheriff Rob Maciol, the City of Utica and the Utica City School District have signed a Youth Arrest Diversion Agreement.

The purpose of the County-wide diversion program is to provide services and assistance to juveniles who are charged with a crime before those juveniles enter the Criminal Justice System

County Executive Anthony Picente says the initiative is an unprecedented step to reform juvenile justice in Oneida County.

He says a pilot diversion program only in Utica Schools has a 92 percent success rate

Picente says he hopes the program can be a model for the rest of New York state.

Oneida County Family Court Judge Randal Caldwell said, “This is a vital step for family court and our community by diverting children who may commit low level, non-violent offences from being arrested and entering a system in which many struggle to get out of.”