County Diversion Programs
Custody Alternative and Mental Health Programs Unit (CAMP)
The Office of the District Attorney recently developed the CAMP Unit to focus on exploring alternatives to incarceration for many non-serious/non-violent offenses as well as criminal defendants with mental illness or substance use disorders. The CAMP Unit’s work includes sentence recalls for prison inmates who demonstrate readiness for release prior to the conclusion of their original sentence, post-sentencing supervision hearings, and diversion for lower-level crimes and drug possession. The DAO is exploring opportunities to expand the work of the Camp Unit.
Pre-Arraignment Representation and Review (PARR)
PARR was launched by the PDO in September 2019 with the mission to provide intervention and advocacy before arraignment to reduce the length of pre-trial incarceration, including advocacy under to California Supreme Court’s opinion in In re Humphrey (March 25, 2021), which held that arrestees are entitled to an individualized determination by the court regarding their ability to pay bail and an assessment of whether any less restrictive alternatives to jail are appropriate. PARR attorneys review and identify suitable cases prior to arraignment and present these cases to the DAO for consideration of early release and diversion. The PDO expects to continue to invest in and grow the work of the PARR team.
Young Adults Deferred Entry of Judgement (YADEJ)
In 2016, new state legislation authorized young adults 18 to 21 accused of certain criminal offenses to be diverted from jail to the juvenile hall. If eligible, the young person will receive a personalized treatment plan through Court Department 62 (collaborative court) for one year. The personalized treatment plan can include many connections to community services such as mental health support, housing, food insecurity, and parenting programs. Upon successful completion, the young adult will be allowed to withdraw a prior guilty plea and have their record sealed.
Misdemeanor Court Diversion
Most individuals charged with a misdemeanor are eligible for diversion. The terms of such diversion are determined by the judge hearing the case, and generally involve a six-month term where the client remains crime free and participates in anger management counseling, theft awareness, gun safety, driver safety or case-specific terms unique to the facts of their case. Between 2020 and 2022, the PDO facilitated approximately 4,200 applications for misdemeanor diversion. Of those applications, more than 4,000 were granted and less than 150 were denied. The PDO will continue to focus on this work, providing diversion opportunities to as many individuals charged with misdemeanors as possible.
Accountability, Rehabilitation, and Community (ARC)
As a component of the District Attorney’s “Bend the Arc” initiative, the DAO created the ARC Team to address repeat but low-level narcotics offenders. Individuals with low level narcotics sales cases are assessed for eligibility and if eligible, will be supervised in Department 62 for one year. The Court facilitates assessment of individuals for a substance abuse or mental health disorder, and they are then referred to appropriate care (detox, residential, intensive outpatient, or outpatient treatment). The participant must also agree to drug testing, counseling, and community service to qualify. The ARC Team will continue to identify individuals eligible for diversion to maximize participation in this program.
Community Release Program and Electronic Monitoring Program (EMP)
The Probation Department (PRO) utilizes twenty-four hours/seven days a week, on-call Probation Officers to screen offenders with probation holds who are admitted to the jail to determine if they are suitable for EMP. Similarly, the Office of Pretrial Services (PTS) provides monitoring, including EMP, to community members placed on out-of-custody supervision by the Court. If a client is found suitable for participation in EMP, an electronic device will be installed on the person’s ankle allowing EMP staff to continuously supervise the client. County Departments are exploring opportunities to expand these out-of-custody supervision programs.
Link to Probation’s Electronic Monitoring Program: https://probation.sccgov.org/adult-services/electronic-monitoring-program