Police Diversion in New Jersey: Statewide Collaboration and Localized Programming

• In Event: Models of Police Diversion at the Point of Arrest

Abstract

To understand the landscape of police diversion programs, semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually with five leaders of organizations managing New Jersey-based police diversion programs. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. A codebook was collaboratively developed that informed thematic coding using NVivo 14. Following this process, team members re-read transcripts and created consensus themes through an iterative, collaborative process. Findings highlighted the importance of state funding and political will, multi-county collaborative teams, and challenges around administrative barriers between counties. The New Jersey police diversion programs at the point of arrest tended to be prosecutor-led units reflecting a unique program model. These units leveraged resources and support from a variety of stakeholders including county and township law enforcement, government officials, and local nonprofits. Implications of these findings highlight the importance of multi-year efforts and strong leadership from cross-sector partners.

Author

• Devon Ziminski, Rutgers University