In the formal juvenile justice process system the police act as the main gatekeep (). They play an important and crucial role in serving and helping children receive compassionate, careful, and individualized treatment. These gatekeepers provide a backup to those who violated the law in the interest of reformers (). The police also exercise discretion related to the handling of juvenile encounters. They are given the option to take the juvenile into custody and refer them to a diversionary program that is operated by the police or a community agency (). The diversion programs act as an alternative to court and conviction. Its concept is based on the assumption that processing certain youth through the juvenile justice system may do more harm
