Finding Alternatives to Incarceration
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The problem: Deflection, diversion, or alternative response programs may be appropriate alternatives to incarceration, in some cases. But jurisdictions often lack clear guidance on these alternatives at decision points in a criminal justice response.
An Evidence Base for Communities: RAND rigorously evaluates diversion programs and other alternatives to incarceration, focusing on both effectiveness and implementation.
- Crisis connections: An evaluation of six places that used deflection models found these programs work best when supported by strong partnerships, but stigma and limited treatment capacity continue to be barriers to use. Separately, three case studies of 988/911 call system interoperability found that collaborative planning and clear protocols help communities respond more effectively to behavioral health emergencies.
- Pathways for people with mental illness: Analysis of the Los Angeles County Jail mental health population found most individuals could be safely redirected to community care. Other evaluations, of the pre-trial Rapid Diversion Program and a jail-based Supportive Housing Program, emphasized the role of streamlined court processes, strong collaboration, and wraparound services to improve outcomes.
- Community-based alternatives for youth and young adults: Reviews of services for justice-involved youth identified promising models that use cognitive behavioral approaches and multisystemic therapies. Research on community-based alternatives underscored the importance of addressing disproportionate representation of people of color in juvenile justice systems and the lack of capacity to provide individualized community-based supports to youth with the most serious offenses. For adults with low-level offenses, however, Project Reset helped with diversion into support programs, which improved case outcomes and reduced court involvement.