"The Ozaukee County Criminal Justice Collaborating Council (CJCC) has been charged to address and implement a pre-charge/trial diversion project. The purpose of this diversion project is to give low to mid-risk level offenders the opportunity to demonstrate changes in behaviors that have led to violations of law and subsequent prosecution for those violations, particularly those with substance abuse involvement. The Treatment Alternatives and Diversion program is founded on the stated goal of developing and implementing ""alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders with drug or alcohol problems"" (Van Stelle &Goodrich, 2008). Project goals include: • Reduce recidivism using the prospect of criminal conviction to promote participation in a rehabilitation process; • Reduction of jail populations by diversion of offenders to appropriate treatment and support services; • Promote public safety with a staff position that will assess, refer and monitor individuals; and • Reduce prosecution and incarceration costs by establishing a program that responds to individual comprehensive needs. The project includes the “Promising Practices in Pretrial Diversion"" that are identified by the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies and the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice. These practices include: formalized cooperative agreements, access to counsel, due process protections, objective diversion, uniform and validated risk needs assessments, tailored individual intervention plans, graduated sanctions, privacy protection, and, independent program evaluations. This project emphasizes assessments, appropriate referral, supervision/case management, on-going substance use surveillance, relapse prevention, treatment, and sober living possibilities, employment opportunities, and avenues for family support. The service area is primarily Ozaukee County; however, convenient resources that conform to the county standards are sought for clients living in counties in the Greater Milwaukee area. As identified by the CJCC, the primary target for the project is Ozaukee County residents arrested and prosecuted for nonviolent offenses involving alcohol or other drug abuse components. Entry to this programming takes three forms; first, defendants whose cases have been referred for criminal charges but whose cases have not yet entered the system; second, cases already in the system that have not yet reached disposition; third, post disposition cases where the sentencing court has left open the possibility of reviewing and revisiting the case at some future point. The term of programming for any case have a range of 6 months to one year with an average of 9 months. The primary target for programming is first time drug offenders and second OWI offenders. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Diversion Project Ozaukee County Diversion Project provides an assessment for low to mid-risk level offenders who meet initial criminal history, age, residency, and charge requirements and are being considered for diversion in Ozaukee County. The following specific objectives will be met by Ozaukee County Diversion Project: • Reduction in jail populations by diverting non-violent offenders to community-based alternatives, • Reduction in recidivism rates for all participants. The purpose of this diversion project is to give qualified low to mid-risk level the opportunity to demonstrate changes in behaviors that have led to violations of law and subsequent prosecution for those violations, particularly those with substance abuse involvement. "