Deflection and Diversion Programs in the United States

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

4:15 PM – 5:30 PM

Location: Grand Ballroom Section ED OMNI

Presenter(s)

Robert Kent, JD

General Counsel
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Washington, District of Columbia
Jac Charlier, MPA

Executive Director
TASC’s Center for Health and Justice; Police, Treatment, and Community Collaborative
Chicago, Illinois
Michael E. McMahon, JD

District Attorney
Richmond County
Staten Island, NY

Moderator(s)

Michelle Putnam, MPH

Acting Associate Director for Policy
Division of Overdose Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, Georgia

Deflection and diversion programs work to target the underlying problems that lead to crime and effective programs can enhance long-term public safety and reduce recidivism while saving taxpayer dollars. Approximately 700 state and local jurisdictions have implemented deflection/diversion programs designed to take individuals, who commit non-violent offenses to support their drug use, out of the criminal justice system with the offer of help. This session will bring together champions and national experts who already are doing this work to assist attendees who are interested in pursuing such programming. The presentation will explore the steps necessary to bring a deflection/diversion program to fruition.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the principles that make a successful diversion/deflection program
Assess whether a deflection/diversion program would work in your community
Identify others in the United States who are operating a deflection/diversion program