diversion program
a program that may be available in some circumstances for individuals, especially juveniles and young adults, who have been arrested for the first time or for certain crimes. After the defendant has been formally charged with a crime and has entered a plea, he or she may be sent to a diversion program (e.g., for drug treatment) instead of proceeding to trial; the charges are dropped or reduced if the individual successfully completes the program. Under federal sentencing guidelines a diversion program, for adults, counts as a sentence if the defendant guilty or the defendant pleaded guilty, whereas juveniles who have successfully completed diversion programs do not have their crimes included in their permanent record. In deferred prosecution, individuals may be required to complete the same types of programs (e.g., alcohol treatment, community service), but they are granted a conditional amnesty by the prosecutor before they enter a plea; if they do not complete
the agreed-upon programs, they return to court for a trial and sentencing for the original crime, but if they do, the charges are dropped and are not made part of the defendant’s police record.