Cohort 2025
OAR of Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church
Assessing Consistency in Use of Diversion Programs
Arlington, VA
Since 1970, jail and prison incarceration in Virginia has increased by 616 percent, and the jail incarceration rate there is higher than the US average. One lever prosecutors and judges have to reduce the reach of our criminal legal system and our reliance on incarceration is diversion. Diversion pulls people out of the regular criminal court process and provides alternative treatment, interventions, and supports. Diversion has been found to reduce recidivism (PDF) and increase other measures of well-being, including employment rates. Despite this overall positive impact of diversion, it has been used inequitably for different racial groups, partially because of biased selection of eligible participants and constraints, such as fees, that disparately shut out Black people from participating in diversion programs.
With Catalyst grant funding, OAR of Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church will monitor the use of diversion among people going through the criminal legal system in Arlington, Virginia, by attending and documenting court hearings. Community volunteers with a variety of backgrounds will serve as court observers, observing hearings and using technology to quickly analyze and visualize results based on the defendant’s race and other critical factors. The results will inform conversations with relevant stakeholders and advocacy for local policy changes that enable people and communities to equitably access and realize the benefits of diversion programs.
