Press Release

Monday March 28, 2005

Contacts: Carter Papke, 334-832-2553

Dr. Patricia Guest, 334-832-2541

District Attorney’s Pre-Trial Diversion Program

Montgomery County Courthouse Annex II,

Third Floor 125 Washington Avenue

Ellen Brooks, Montgomery County District Attorney, and Debra Shufford, Chairperson of the Citizen’s Advisory Commission on Prosecution for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of Alabama, present the 2004 Report for Pre-Trial Diversion Program. The Pre-Trial Diversion program is a chance for first-time nonviolent offenders to keep their records clean and become productive citizens. According to the report prepared by Dr. Kitty Barchard, the highlights include the following:

• 50 Graduates (largest number ever)

  • 29 female and 21 male;

  • 31 black, 18 white and 1 Hispanic;

  • from 17 to 56 years of age with average of 30

  • Restitution paid ranged from $126.00 to $18,900.00 with fourteen owing none

  • Community service ranged from 164 to 427 hours

  • Time on the program ranged from 8 to 35 months (extended for restitution payments)

  • High risk assessment decreased from 76% to 8%

  • 74 new participants (largest number ever)

• Over $125,000.00 restitution paid to victims

• Over 20,000 volunteer hours given to 42 not-for-profits

• Daily cost of $7.36 per participant

• Recidivism rate remains at 2.1%

Experiencing an increase in criminal caseload and jail overcrowding, the Montgomery County Commission expanded the program in 2004. Since 1976, the Pre-Trial Diversion Program has operated through the District Attorney’s Office diverting certain first time non-violent offenders from the traditional court system into a highly individualized and supervised restorative program, while efficient and cost effective. The program is comprised of judges, law enforcement, committed members of this community, and counselors who have banned together to aggressively address the cycle of criminal behavior and minimize the impact of crime on the community, the family, the victim and the offender. According to District Attorney Ellen Brooks, the success of the Pre-Trial Diversion program can be attributed to having a dedicated professional and volunteer staff with caring counselors, a cooperative court system and a supportive Montgomery County Commission.