photo by: Meeting screenshot/Douglas County Commission
Members of the Douglas County District Attorney s Office explain its porposed enhanced diversion program to the County Commission during a meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. The program aims to provide more oversight and structure in the diversion process to help people facing criminal charges to stay on track and have their charges dismissed.
A new diversion program from the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office that aims to serve as another alternative to incarceration in the local criminal justice system could initially help dozens of people stay out of jail.
Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden told the County Commission on Wednesday about a new enhanced diversion program the office is developing. It could launch in the next few weeks and could serve up to 50 people facing criminal charges within the first few months of operation, which could lead to fewer people being booked into jail later down the road.
The Douglas County Courthouse is pictured in September 2018.
The Douglas County Commission will soon get its first look at a new local criminal justice program that aims to divert suspects in criminal cases away from incarceration.
The County Commission on Wednesday will meet with Douglas County district attorney’s office staff during a work session to discuss the diversion program.
According to a description provided to the commissioners, the new program’s goals include improving “quality of life” for participants through community services, increasing court efficiency by decreasing the case load processed by the district court and reducing the number of inmates housed in the Douglas County Jail.