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After experiencing the diversion program following a DUI two years ago, I found that the whole program was a business.  There are a lot of private pockets being lined with this particular program.  The process leaves the criminal system and moves into the private arena of counselors determining your financial future based on some rather vague reasoning and then a private program that meets with groups of people that have been dumped out of the system.

The experience was sobering for me, but the program was just a gimmick to empty pockets and play a game of "gotcha."  The people in my group were multiple offenders and primarily were there to do what it took to get their license returned.

The sessions were run by a substance abuse counselor that knew he had a captured audience that was paying a weekly fee to be there.  There were random tests but the main emphasis appeared to be doing your time on Saturday classes and paying a hefty fine. 

I am aware of the procedure now and never want to experience that embarrassment again, but my reaction to how this was operated led me to believe that the program was faulty.  The victim panel I attended was sobering and was an effective deterent for me.

posted 3 years, 8 months ago
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