Pre-filing Felony Diversion in Santa Barbara County

On behalf of the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office, the Center for Justice Innovation conducted a study on the feasibility of launching a pre-filing felony diversion program in Santa Barbara, California. This report presents the results of that study, concluding that—with the right planning and collaboration—Santa Barbara has both the resources and the willingness to offer meaningful alternatives to traditional prosecution for people accused of felony offenses.