LEAD

The Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program is a pre-booking, community-based diversion program that was developed in Seattle, Washington. The program was designed to divert those suspected of low-level drug and prostitution offenses away from jail and prosecution and into case management, legal coordination, and other supportive services. The primary goal of LEAD is to reduce criminal recidivism. Other goals include reduction in legal and criminal-justice-service utilization and associated costs, as well as the improvement in psychosocial, housing, and quality-of-life outcomes.