As a practice, Diversion programs must work closely with all the major components of the criminal justice system to be most effective. Of particular importance to the Diversion process is the role of prosecution. In most instances, the forward prosecution of a defendant's case based on his or her performance in Diversion must take place before the process begins. In some states, the Diversionary process is established through law, thus providing for a systematic application of these tenets. In other circumstances, individual agreements with local prosecutors form the basis for the process.
Diversion programs offer a variety of services both in-house and through community based referrals.
Such services can include drug and alcohol treatment, mental health services, employment, educational and specific programs designed to address common issues such as domestic violence. The diversity of the types of interventions is often a response to the criminal justice population unique to each community. The strength of an effective Diversion program is linked to its ability to match clients to the most appropriate intervention based on identified need, not just as a response to a specific crime. Pretrial Diversion is a strong, viable alternative which provides an important service for defendants and the communities in which they live. For defendants, Diversion provides an opportunity to make significant changes in their lives and prevent further penetration into the criminal justice system.