Which term describes programs of rehabilitation that remove offenders from the normal channels of the criminal justice process, thus enabling them to avoid the stigma of a criminal label?

• A. diversion programs
• B. expungement
• C. trial court
• D. pre-trial proceedings

Answer: (A)

Diversion programs focus on steering offenders away from the regular court path by directing them into rehabilitation and treatment in lieu of formal prosecution. The aim is to help the individual address underlying issues and, upon successful completion, have the charges dismissed or not filed, so they avoid the stigma of a criminal conviction. Expungement, by contrast, is about erasing or sealing records after the fact rather than diverting someone from the process in the first place. The trial court is simply the place where cases are heard, and pre-trial proceedings are the steps leading up to trial, neither of which enact rehabilitation-based diversion.