Attorney General’s community justice director tells Appropriations Committee statewide pre‑charge diversion funding to expand next year

Willa Farrell, director of the Attorney General’s community justice unit, told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 3 that the office is expanding pre‑charge diversion services and working to provide statewide coverage next year.

Farrell said last year’s appropriation allowed the office to continue funding services that the Department of Corrections had ended and to expand pre‑charge diversion. She introduced Kelly Ahrens as the assistant court diversion director, said Ahrens visited every site in the state and is compiling observations, and described ongoing work with a research partner to improve data collection and outcome measurement through the office’s Law Manager case management system.

Farrell said about 80 people statewide work under the diversion grants and that the model is a cost‑efficient way to hold people accountable, repair harm and provide services to victims that might not otherwise receive attention. She emphasized that more complete, timely data — including pre‑charge metrics — will enable the office and programs to evaluate whether early diversion produces the intended outcomes.

Committee members asked for county‑level breakdowns and trends; Farrell said the office produces an annual report and offered to share county‑level data upon request. Clark and staff closed the hearing by offering to provide follow‑up materials and spreadsheets to committee staff for verification.