Police-initiated diversion for adults
Evidence-rated crime-reduction intervention (EMMIE).
Effect on crime
mixed evidence
Evidence quality
low
Cost
no information
What the evidence says
Police-initiated diversion for adults aims to reduce subsequent offending by diverting individuals away from traditional criminal justice processes into non-criminal alternatives. The systematic review of 47 studies shows mixed evidence regarding its effectiveness, with some studies indicating reduced arrests while others report no effect or even increased re-offending. The overall impact on crime is statistically insignificant.
How it works
The intervention works by redirecting individuals from formal criminal justice actions to services like behavioral health support, potentially reducing stigma and encouraging treatment for underlying issues.
Implementation
The review provided no specific details on implementation processes or challenges faced during the primary studies.
Source: College of Policing Crime Reduction Toolkit (What Works Centre for Crime Reduction). Summarised 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the College of Policing.