Deflection programs are an emerging approach to redirect people who have experienced police contact away from the criminal legal system and toward supportive services, with the goal of improving outcomes for individuals, communities, the justice system, and public health. The Illinois Multi-Site Deflection Initiative is a groundbreaking project aimed at increasing the number of deflection programs in the state to help individuals who come into contact with police. Since 2021, the initiative has been spearheaded by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in partnership with the Illinois State Police and Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC). As of July 2024, the initiative has 11 programs operating or in the planning stage across 45 counties. IDHS funded the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) to conduct an independent evaluation to study the programs’ planning, development, and operations, as well as assess and measure outcomes. We share the evaluation design, data, and challenges faced during this multi-year evaluation. The evaluation team’s process evaluation assesses program activities and offers recommendations for programmatic enhancement. We offer a point-in-time description of current evaluation activities and future plans.

A significant amount of police engagement involves persons with multiple service needs, such as substance use treatment or mental health services. Deflection allows officers and first responders the discretion to refer individuals to service providers without making an arrest. This evaluation examined the action planning process for a multijurisdictional police-led deflection program called Choices in rural Southwestern Illinois. Using field observations, document analysis, and participant surveys, researchers examined the collaborative process of developing an action plan for program implementation. We focused on participant engagement, the content of the action plan, the extent of collaboration, and areas for improvement. Key findings highlight the challenges of implementing deflection programs in rural areas, including limited treatment resources and transportation barriers. The action planning process successfully engaged diverse stakeholders and produced a comprehensive plan addressing program goals, tasks, responsibilities, and performance measures. Participant feedback indicated high levels of collaboration, though some areas for enhancement were identified. This evaluation contributes to the limited empirical research on police-led deflection programs and provides insights to guide future implementation efforts in rural communities.