IACP@Work: Developmental Disabilities and Diversion

What Law Enforcement Officers Need to Know

Deflection and pre-arrest diversion tactics are not new topics. While there is still much to learn about how these alternatives to arrest affect the interactions between law enforcement and individuals with developmental disabilities, it is clear that the use of deflection and pre-arrest diversion practices have the potential to positively alter outcomes for those who come into contact with the justice system.