The Department operates as a separate state school district and has received full Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation for both its regular and vocational education components. Juvenile offenders participate in many therapeutic and counseling programs that support their transition back into their communities and reduce the risk of future delinquent activity. One of the Department’s foremost principles is that of Balanced and Restorative Justice, a set of values that asks that the primary stakeholders in a crime be involved in repairing the harm caused and work to ensure that the community is a stronger place following the incident.