Low-Touch, Misdemeanor Diversion Programs with Record Expungement Reduce Reconviction Rates

Abstract

Prosecutor-initiated diversion programs offer an alternative to traditional procedures. These programs provide a second-chance opportunity to defendants, increasing the number of people exiting the criminal justice system without a record. But if diversion programs are used to supervise people whose cases would otherwise have been dismissed, these efforts could expand the scope of supervision, thereby leading to net-widening. This study provides empirical evidence on these tradeoffs by examining Philadelphia’s Accelerated Misdemeanor Program (AMP).