Disposition pathways determine whether youth are routed into rehabilitative systems or face more punitive outcomes. This is central to understanding the impact of youth justice reforms such as Raise the Age.

Each year from 2021 to 2025, the majority of youth felony cases in Westchester County were diverted to the County Youth Court, reflecting a system that prioritizes processing young people through age-appropriate legal protocols and relevant resources. This often results in cases moving back to local family courts with less severe charges and diversion options. Between 2021 and 2025, hundreds of youth avoided adult felony prosecution through diversion pathways. However, the share of cases remaining in County Court increased in 2025 to 36% from 21% in 2021, suggesting a shift toward more serious charges and/or changes in screening practices. This highlights diversion as the key decision point in youth justice outcomes.

Data is sourced from the New York State Unified Court System's Office of Court Administration Statistics Act (OCA-STAT) extract, compiled by the Division of Technology & Court Research (DoTCR). Disposition classifications were created specifically for this analysis, categorizing cases as either "Removal to Family Court" (diversion) or "Tried with Felony Charge in County Court." Data is based on arraignment-level records and does not reflect final adjudication beyond this classification.