VDM Verlag Adlerian Based Pretrial Diversion: A Program Evaluation

Increased prison populations and economic pressures in the area of corrections signify there is a need to look for effective alternatives to incarceration. Additionally, criminals have a subculture that encourages participation in crime rather than discouraging such behavior. Pretrial service programs, such as pretrial diversion programs, offer alternatives to incarceration that can be less expensive than incarceration and provide a transition period during which offenders can learn to let go of criminal subcultures and transition into becoming productive members of conventional society. A large percentage of pretrial service program administrators do not perform program evaluations to calculate outcome measures. This leaves a void in research linked to helping administrators and community members determine what works and what is most cost effective in relation to alternatives to incarceration. This research addresses that void by evaluating an Adlerian based pretrial diversion program located in the southeastern United States.