Nancy Sullivan is an ICJIA research fellow. She will work exclusively on police-led deflection research. Prior to joining ICJIA, Nancy was a field coordinator at Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities working on a juvenile justice program evaluation. She also worked for a background investigation and consulting company as a project manager and served as a research intern at the Loyola University Chicago Center for Criminal Justice. Nancy earned a master’s degree in criminology at Loyola University Chicago with a graduate certificate in public affairs and management.
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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.