Former Director’s Fellow Violet Wang (PPS ’24) was published in INDY Week concerning North Carolina’s broken justice system and the importance of implementing a civil citation and diversion program.
“Our current system drives previously incarcerated people to resort to crime again, creating a cycle of incarceration that is both costly to taxpayers and detrimental to the livelihood of offenders.”
“A “cite and divert” program allows police officers to issue a civil citation for petty, nonviolent offenses instead of jail and arrest. Currently, six counties—Durham, Wake, Orange, Cumberland, New Hanover, and Buncombe—implement a pre-arrest diversion option for youth. This option creates a compromise between verbal warning and criminal punishment.” – Violet Wang
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