NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans City Attorney’s Office has launched a new Diversion Program at Municipal and Traffic Court, offering an alternative to convictions and jail time. This initiative is for eligible individuals with the goal of addressing the causes of low-level, non- violent offenses by offering the participants services in substance abuse, mental health support and other necessary programs that strive to eliminate recidivism.
“The goal of the program is to ensure that New Orleanians have access to interventions that support and enrich lives for constructive change,” City Attorney Charline Gipson said.
“We share New Orleans’ goal of keeping drivers safe, preventing future offenses, and educating the public in an empathetic setting about the lasting effects of impaired driving,” Sunny Wall, Louisiana Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said. Wall is also in discussions to partner with the diversion program to restore MADD victim impact sessions at the new Municipal and Traffic Court facility.
With the launch of this Diversion Program, the City Attorney’s Office remains committed to swift justice, improving public safety, and promoting appropriate efficiency within the system. This new Diversion Program will provide a chance for qualified individuals to demonstrate their commitment to better decision-making and self-help with oversight and monitoring where intervention is needed. This will lead to better outcomes and reduce strains on the jails and court system.
Successful completion of this Diversion Program will result in the participants’ charges being dismissed. This is an opportunity for participants to reduce barriers to employment and housing in the future for eligible offenses.
For more information about this program, contact the Municipal and Traffic Court of New Orleans at 504-658-9700.