Chief David Nisleit and the San Diego Police Department have joined community members and law enforcement partners to end unjust youth incarceration by joining the Restorative Community Conferencing (RCC) program. SDPD will be able to refer certain juvenile offenders to the Restorative Community Conferencing program rather than seeking prosecution, which disproportionately incarcerates young people of color.

With Chief Nisleit's signature in May, the San Diego Police Department officially joins the RCC Memorandum of Understanding to provide an alternative to youth "who were arrested for felonies, high-level misdemeanors, and probation violations," as outlined in the MOU.

Our criminal justice system is like an exceptionally difficult maze, with too many paths in and too few ways out, especially for youth of color. The RCC program prevents youth from entering this maze and gives them an opportunity to be accountable to their "victim, family, community and self."

With SDPD's participation in the RCC program, many more youth will have an opportunity to remain in school, with their families, and their communities. Mid-City CAN looks forward to working with Chief Nisleit, SDPD, and the continued partnership with community members and the other juvenile law enforcement agencies.

Current Restorative Community Conferencing partners:

• Mid-City CAN
• San Diego County District Attorney's Office Juvenile Division
• San Diego County Probation
• San Diego Unified School District Police Department
• National Conflict Resolution Center
• San Diego County Sheriff Department
• San Diego County Public Defender's Office