Parents or guardians may file a PINS petition in Family Court if their child repeatedly behaves dangerously or out of control. This could include:

• running away,
• breaking curfew,
• damaging property,
• substance abuse, or
• being aggressive toward family members.

As part of the PINS process, families are expected to cooperate with the services recommended by our staff, including:

• prevention programs,
• mental health support,
• substance abuse treatment, and
• community resources.

If a parent or guardian files a PINS petition for a runaway child, they need to

• submit a missing person’s report to law enforcement, and
• make all reasonable efforts to locate the child before contacting Probation.

Schools may file a PINS petition in Family Court after exhausting all school-based interventions if a student:

• has more than 15 unexcused absences or
• exhibits uncontrollable behavior.

We also offer diversion services to youth who receive an "appearance ticket" after being arrested.

This could happen when a youth over age 12 and under age 18 commits an act that would be considered a crime if they were an adult.

When youth are referred to us this way, we offer them access to:

• evidence-based programming,
• community resources, and
• opportunities for community service.