Young people who skip school or run away from home pose little or no threat to public safety. Yet many communities have found that youth are often arrested and incarcerated because of these behaviors. Too often, young people are sent through the justice system for acting out, when community- and family-based responses would be more compassionate and effective. Diverting youth away from the justice system and toward supportive interventions are key to keeping them and their communities safe. Through the It Takes a Village blog series, Vera will expand upon the It Takes a Village: Diversion Resources for Police and Families report, further exploring how diversion benefits police, schools, families, and young people themselves.