Law Enforcement Deflection and Prearrest Diversion Programs: A Tale of Two Initiatives

This paper provides an overview of a deflection initiative in Illinois and a prearrest diversion program in Florida, states that have adopted legislation supporting the expansion of these approaches. These details are used to identify important lessons learned from the planning, implementation, and early-assessment phases of these programs. The early practices in these programs also inform recommendations for necessary research and evaluation work to guide these quickly expanding deflection and diversion initiatives.