Graffiti Defendants Held Accountable
Saturday, 03 March 2007
Community Court Participants to Clean the Neighborhood.


Beginning Saturday, March 3, 2007, 10 Santa Clarita Community Court Diversion Program participants will begin removing graffiti in the Newhall area as a condition of their probation and to make restitution for their crimes committed through community service hours.

“The City of Santa Clarita is trying to reach out to local troubled youth after their first offense and persuade them not to commit a crime again. By enabling offenders with tools to make good life choices, the City hopes to influence each participant’s life in a positive way,” commented Mayor Marsha McLean.

Every Saturday from now till June, program participants will continue to remove graffiti and litter in the area.

To date, the community court program has seen 40 cases with a combined average of 27 community service hours per defendant.

The Santa Clarita Community Court is a community-based diversion program that provides an alternative to the juvenile justice system for first-time, non-violent, juvenile offenders.



Juvenile offenders who have committed non-violent petty crimes, such as shoplifting, speeding, and vandalism, are sentenced by a judge to perform community service, attend diversion classes, and if necessary, pay financial penalties. If they complete the program, their crime does not go on their record.

The program began to ensure that youth perform their community service and pay their restitution here in Santa Clarita where their crime was committed, and to help first-time offenders learn from their mistakes.

The program is a partnership between the City of Santa Clarita, the Sheriff’s Department, the William S. Hart Union High School District, and the Los Angeles County Probation Department.