Diversion Programs

The Santa Monica City Charter gives the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office (CAO), Criminal Prosecution Unit the authority to prosecute misdemeanor crimes committed in Santa Monica. Taking on the role of prosecuting misdemeanors at the local level ensures these cases are handled by prosecutors with a clearer understanding of and a deeper commitment to the issues that directly affect the residents of Santa Monica.

Misdemeanor crimes are any crime punishable by less than a year in county jail or a fine of less than $1,000.  Crimes can include family violence, drug possession, driving under the influence, burglary, assault, petty theft, and quality of life crimes. More serious crimes committed in the city are prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. 

In recent years, legal reforms, like Proposition 46, have reduced certain crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. At the same time, other policies, like the LA County zero-bail policy, have reduced our ability to use jail as a consequence for low level offenses. Together, these changes have made citations, arrests, and jail time less effective in reducing criminal behavior.

Despite these changes, the Criminal Prosecution Unit still pursues traditional consequences where appropriate, like jail, probation, and community work. At the same time, the CAO has also been exploring innovative ways to promote behavior change and reduce recidivism through various diversion programs that address the root causes of criminal conduct, like mental health issues, substance use disorders, and homelessness.

By employing diversion strategies that route justice-involved people away from traditional prosecution and incarceration to health and housing services, the CAO is breaking the frustrating cycle of arrest, release, and re-arrest, and advancing an enforcement model that can promote behavior change while operating in step with the current legal landscape.

The CAO’s diversion portfolio includes the following programs and partners.