Stakeholders should consider diversion options throughout the entire criminal justice system from initial intake to the initial court hearing. Once in custody, diversion options may vary from jail-based (i.e., pre-trial supervision and treatment outside of jail) to court-based (i.e., establish outpatient treatment plan and enter deferred adjudication). In addition to exploring AOT and other civil diversion options, this is also a point in the criminal justice process that problem-solving court eligibility should be considered.
Learn More About Diversion
- *National Center for State Courts, Judges' Guide to Mental Health Diversion
- The Center for Effective Public Policy, Diversion 101: Using the “What Works” Research to Determine Who Should Be Considered for Diversion
- Council of State Governments, Using Your Data for Behavioral Health Diversion Workshop Manual
- Steven K. Hoge and Richard J. Bonnie, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, Expedited Diversion of Criminal Defendants to Court-Ordered Treatment
- Vera Institute, Beyond Jails: Community-Based Strategies for Public Safety
- *Vera Institute, For Decades, Los Angeles Jailed People with Mental Health Needs. Now, It’s Finally Prioritizing Treatment
- Prison Policy Initiative, Racial disparities in diversion: A research roundup
- National Center for State Courts, Juvenile Justice Mental Health Diversion Guidelines and Principles
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