Mission

• Chittenden County Court Diversion is to be a confidential, voluntary, cost effective program for eligible offenders.
• Participants will be given the opportunity to earn a clean criminal record by participating in a program based on restorative justice principles. Our aim is to provide a high standard of service by supporting individuals in successfully completing the program.

Vision

• To reduce the amount of minor criminal charges prosecuted through the formal court process.
• To process referred cases in a timely, but realistic manner.
• To reduce the rate of recidivism amongst clientele.
• To achieve the highest possible degree of victim and community reparation possible.

Court Diversion...

...was created and designed to encourage a sense of responsibility on the part of first time offenders for their criminal activity.

• It's aim is to provide a community-based alternative to the formal court process for first time offenders; which is cost-effective and which:
• Provides for a quick response to the offense. Most participants are scheduled to meet the Review Board within four weeks of meeting with a Court Diversion Case Manager.
• Holds the participant responsible for their unlawful actions. Participants must take responsibility for committing the offense with which they are charged to be eligible for the program.
• Teaches responsibility while promoting the participant's positive qualities. Diversion contracts are designed to help participants learn from their mistakes, make amends to victims and/or the community and not re-offend.
• Compensates victims of crimes for their losses. Court Diversion attempts to contact every victim. Victims are encouraged to participate in the Diversion process wherever possible if it is appropriate.
• Compensates communities for their losses and expenses. Community Service is part of many contracts. Court Diversion helps many local community organizations by sending participants to them to complete community service hours.
• Reduces the likelihood of repeated involvement with the law. By holding people responsible for their actions and educating them about the effects their actions have, fewer than 15% of clients who successfully complete a contract are statistically likely to re-offend within two years.

What is Court Diversion? The following short video will help explain.

Vermont Court Diversion from andrea grayson on Vimeo.