Page last updated on September 7, 2021 at 2:09 pm
March 21, 2019
Together with other government, business, and non-profit leaders, the City of Bloomington has been exploring ways to establish a diversion program to provide better outcomes for non-violent offenders. Diversion programs take different forms in the communities that have established them, but their common goal is to provide alternatives to conviction to reduce recidivism and rehabilitate those who have committed crimes. As community leaders consider how an official diversion program might work in Bloomington, numerous diversionary components are already well established here.
During this conversation, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton joined Police Chief Mike Diekhoff and several public safety officials to discuss the ways in which diversion can provide the nuance and flexibility necessary for a more effective criminal justice system.
Guests included, from left to right:
Brett Rorem, Bloomington Police Downtown Resource Officer
Melissa Stone, Bloomington Police Social Worker
Erika Oliphant, Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney
John Hamilton, Bloomington Mayor
Mike Diekhoff, Bloomington Police Chief
Tami Giles, Street Outreach Worker, Centerstone
Greg May, Administrative Director, Adult and Family Services, Centerstone
