City Attorney Jan Goldsmith (Nelvin C. Cepeda)
A San Diego program focused on preventing early offenders from becoming career criminals is expanding to include minor drug offenses and illegal lodging charges brought against homeless people.
The one year old criminal diversion program lets people avoid jail time and a criminal record for low-level misdemeanors if they complete two days of community service and pay a $120 fine.
It's been touted as a national model and recently received a $415,000 federal "smart justice" to help fund the expansion and some data tracking.
Called "community court", the program aims to steer early offenders onto the right path by creating swift consequences for minor, non-violent crimes.
"Early offenders in our criminal justice system don't really get the kind of attention they need and it shows up in escalating behavior", said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, who launched the program in November 2014. "When you wait down the road it's too late - it's too late when they kill someone."
So far, 82% of participants - 602 out of 738 - have completed their community service, paid their fine, and cleared their record.
The article is written by david.garrick@sduniontribune.com and he is available at (619)269-8906
The entire article is available at:
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/n...ndag-grant-homeless/
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