NSA To Host sheriff-led deflection webinar on May 30th
Reducing Crime and Recidivism Through Sheriff-led Deflection: A Spotlight on Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion in Marion County, Oregon
Please join TASC's Center for Health and Justice, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the Marion County, Oregon, Sheriff's Office (MCSO) for a free webinar on May 30, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, to learn more about the MCSO's Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program and the successful outcomes it has garnered. Funding for this webinar comes from the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP).
About the Webinar
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) is a pre-arrest program aimed at redirecting individuals engaged in low-level criminal activities—often linked to substance use, mental health issues, or quality-of-life concerns—toward community-based services instead of arrest. What sets the MCSO program apart is its treatment-based model focusing on accountability to achieve behavioral change. With an immediate, street-based, case management services approach that prioritizes public safety and quality of life and focuses on treatment instead of incarceration, the MCSO targets the root of the problem instead of the symptoms. Criteria for participation include voluntary engagement and nonviolent, chargeable offenses. LEAD navigators, with lived experience in substance use disorder, homelessness, and the criminal justice system, act as mentors and guides for participants. The program emphasizes a voluntary commitment to change and the power of hope and belief in recovery. Results have shown success in reducing criminal behavior and substance use, with many participants achieving sobriety through the supports provided.
Learning Objectives
After participating in this session, attendees should be able to:
- Explain a LEAD program and how it benefits communities.
- Identify crucial components to implementing LEAD.
- Understand how to use outcome data to share their programs' successes.
Moderator: Mitch Cunningham, Chief Law Enforcement Advisor, National Sheriffs' Association
MCSO Panelists
- Sheriff Nick Hunter
- Jason Bernards, Enforcement Commander
- Hank Crapser, LEAD Navigator
- Josh Wolf, LEAD Program Coordinator
