ATIC Unit 2 IP



ATIC Unit 2 IP

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to expand the boundaries of our knowledge by exploring some relevant facts and figures relating to the diversion program in criminal justice. Diversion is the act of directing offenders in conflict with the law outside the formal criminal justice system and in particular, away from formal court proceedings. Along with the alternatives to detention, diversion is an important component of restorative justice. The Committee reminds States that greater care should be taken to ensure that offender's human rights and legal safeguards are fully respected and protected. Children in conflict with the law, including repeat offenders, are entitled to be treated in a manner that promotes constructive reintegration into society (Falkin, 1992).

There has been mass imprisonment of people with mental, social and physical pathologies, courtesy to the policies articulated by the criminal justice department of the U.S. department. With respect to mentally ill offenders, there has been an emergence of mental health courts in the United States, which can sometimes be used as a diversion program for mentally ill offenders. In 1997, there were just a handful of mental health courts across the United States. Now, the popularity of these courts as an alternative to dealing with mentally ill offenders is growing rapidly (Clear, 1999).

In the next section, we will examine the reasons and benefits of Diversion program for the safety of the society; we will also evaluate its effect on the law enforcement agency and its cost-effectiveness.

Discussion & Analysis

Reasons and Benefits of Diversion Program

Following are the 3 reasons for the use of diversion (George, 1984):

To educate the offenders to prevent future offenses

Restitution to victims of the offense

Avoiding situations for a specified period in the future that may lead to committing another such offense (such as contact with certain people)

Diversion programs are established for convicted persons to serve their sentence outside the penal institution whose purpose is to alleviate the problem of overpopulation and promote correctional rehabilitation, social rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. The treatment modality in religious households is known the Holy Scriptures, filled them with the help of various public and private companies (Austin, 2001).

Another reason for creating diversion program is to intensify relations between the member of the correctional population, their families and the community for the purpose of study and / or work. Encourage inmates who are able to reintegrate into society, can do so as part of their moral and social rehabilitation. Offers alternatives to incarceration, thereby alleviating overcrowding. This program is located in local offices of the Community Program (Austin, 2001).

Furthermore, diversion program also provide alternative drug-free treatment for the addicted population, aimed at providing those services to promote rehabilitation and rehabilitation taking into account the academics and bio-psychosocial aspects. The resident-confined goes through a continuous and dynamic evaluation process. The program also promotes changes in patterns of anti-social behavior to a positive manner. It also develops educational, vocational, technical and academic programs to facilitate the process of reintegration ...