About the Diversion Program

The Diversion Center is a division of the Office of the Merrimack County Attorney Scott W. Murray, Merrimack County Attorney. The Diversion Center has been serving Merrimack County since 1992. In the last 16 years Diversion participants have performed over 120,000 hours of community service and paid in excess of $200,000 in restitution to victims of crime.

MISSON STATEMENT

The mission of the Merrimack County Diversion Center is to hold eligible defendants accountable while providing resources, skills and education to prevent them from committing new crimes. The program is an alternative to prosecution that offers participants an opportunity to avoid a criminal conviction and other punitive sanctions including fines, probation and incarceration.

WHAT IS DIVERSION

The Merrimack County Diversion Program is a voluntary pretrial program for individuals charged with a criminal offense. Individuals who complete the Diversion Program avoid prosecution and potential conviction of their charge. The Diversion Program only accepts certain types of criminal offenses and each referral must go through an assessment before being offered a Diversion Contract. The Diversion Contract lists the specific requirements and obligations for each individual.