Joan Jenkins and the fine art of tough love
Prosecutor Joan Jenkins. Photo MEDIATION LAW Joan Jenkins fights crime. But she does it in a way that is rare in our criminal justice system. She goes to its roots. Jenkins is a city prosecutor for the City of Manhattan Beach and also works as a mediator for the City of Redondo Beach. In both capacities, she’s part of highly unusual and unusually successful programs that divert people not only from jail time but — more to the point — the behavior that leads to jail. In Manhattan Beach, the juvenile diversion program focuses on kids who are encountering the justice system for the first time. Jenkins works with the kids to make it the last time. “If you can resolve things outside the courts, through diversion, that is great, and the City of Manhattan Beach has allowed me to have a juvenile diversion program that is involved before any case is filed, which is extremely unusual,” Jenkins said. “Usually diversion programs are run by the courts, or the probation department; this is unique and very effective.” Studies have been very clear that kids who become involved in penal system tend to emerge from the experience much more likely to become criminals as adults. Past incarceration…
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