Latinx Youth Counterstories in a Court Diversion Program

Abstract

The study explores the counterstories of Latinx youth participants in a court diversion program. The Esperanza program works to re-integrate Latinx youth back into the educational system as a way to divert them from the juvenile justice system. This narrative qualitative research study included 33 interviews with youth participants, parents, program staff, and other stakeholders using Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latino Critical Theory (LatCrit) as theoretical frameworks. The youth were referred to the Esperanza program, engaged with the program, changed their thinking, and transformed their lived experiences. In particular, they created their own counterstories about immigration and identity. The findings of this study are significant because they provide examples of Latinx youth needs that are not being offered in their current educational system.