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Alex Menninger is a senior research fellow with the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation, where he is evaluating a multi-site deflection program. Alex has performed research in the areas of infectious diseases, climate science, and nutritional science. His areas of interest include issues relating to refugees, the LGBTQ+ community,...

Rural areas often face gaps in behavioral health resources, with limited availability and the need to travel long distances to access services. To address such challenges, innovative strategies, such as police deflection programs, help connect people in rural areas to treatment without an arrest. In order to advance understanding of...

Police are called to the scene of violent crimes that involve victims who may need, but may not be offered, supportive services. To address this, a police-led deflection program, the East St. Louis Community Engagement Team (CERT), was established in Illinois. While police deflection programs have traditionally helped individuals with...

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...

Millions of individuals and families are affected by substance use disorders and overdose in the United States. Deflection programs provide an opportunity for law enforcement to connect individuals with substance use challenges to appropriate treatment and services to improve health and public safety outcomes. We evaluated the efforts of community...