Community Action Panel
Assisting the 12th Circuit Diversion Courts in Changing Lives & Building Better Communities
Who are we?
We are a 501 (c)(3) group of individuals dedicated to reducing crime and substance abuse in our community.
What is a Diversionary Court?
Allows non-violent felony offenders to receive intensive treatment and supervision instead of incarceration if the offender is involved in the criminal justice system due to substance abuse.
Diversion court is sometimes referred to as “drug court” or “DWI court”.
What does Diversionary Court do for our community?
-Saved Missouri more than $24 million in 2008. (Diversionary Court is cheaper than incarceration.)
-Reduces the number of babies born drug addicted. (More than 370 drug free babies have been born to diversionary court participants since the inception of the program.)
-Reduces crime, makes our communities safer, helps to ensure that child support payments are made.
-Allows offenders to stay in the community to support their families and pay taxes.
-Reduces the need for foster care.
-Reduces the welfare rolls.
Is Drug Court soft on crime?
Among other things, Diversionary Court participants are required to:
-Be employed full time or enrolled in school full time.
-Perform 40 hours of community service.
-Act in a responsible, productive and sober manner.
-Make restitution to the victim of the crime.
-Maintain abstinence from ALL substances.
-Participate in substance abuse treatment.
-Attend NA/AA or other self help group regularly.
-Meet regularly with the Probation Officer.
-Attend Drug Court frequently.
-Submit to frequent, random drug testing.
-Drug court participatns find Drug Court more challenging than jail or prison.
