Marijuana Policy Project

LEBANON –  Lebanon police are partnering with a local nonprofit organization to start a new program that offers a second chance to young, first-time offenders charged with alcohol and marijuana possession.

The Lebanon Police Department and Valley Court Diversion Programs of White River Junction, Vt., have started an adult diversion program for 16- to 20-year-olds who are arrested for underage alcohol possession or possession of small amounts of marijuana.

"The department believes, in some cases, diversion may be a more effective tool as an intervention for young adults," Lebanon Police Chief James Alexander said in a prepared statement.

Lebanon saw a 50 percent increase in drug arrests during the first quarter this year over the first quarter of last year, and a 24 percent increase in total arrests, according to police records. "A substantial portion of arrests are people 20 and under in possession of a small amount of marijuana," Alexander said.

Eligibility for the confidential program will be decided on a case-by-case basis, police said, but the accused offender must admit that he or she was involved in criminal behavior. For those participating, successful completion of an intake process and either an alcohol safety or cannabis education class would result in the dismissal of a criminal charge, said Regina Rice, executive director of Valley Court Diversion Programs.

"We kind of view that first arrest as an opportunity," Rice said.

Using an in-depth screening tool known as "G.A.I.N. Q," Valley Court Diversion gathers a wide range of information about the young offender, focusing on drug and alcohol abuse and addiction.

"Basically, what we want to do is have as much collateral information as we can so we can look at the bigger picture," Rice said.

An apprentice-level drug and alcohol counselor administers the screening process under the supervision of a licensed drug and alcohol counselor.

The young offender then participates in a 3 1/2-hour class, with a focus on alcohol or marijuana, depending on the offense. Unless the case manager identifies a problem that requires further intervention, offenders who successfully complete the class receive a certificate and their criminal records are wiped clean.

It's unclear how the program will impact recidivism rates in the city, said Rice, but, "It makes sense to me that it would have an impact on their lives, and if it doesn't, then the next go around, they're going in front of the judge."

Alexander said the new program isn't a softer approach to crime. Instead, it's a new way to deal with young offenders by providing drug and alcohol intervention, he said.

"It is important the public be reassured that the Lebanon Police Department believes in enforcement of our drug laws," he said in the press release. "With such a high percentage of people being affected by these substances, a program designed to offer intervention to young first-time offenders through the criminal arrest process makes sense."

The new program is expected to save taxpayers money, though Rice couldn't say how much, and Alexander wasn't available for further comment. Offenders pay a fee to participate in the program and Valley Court Diversion receives grant funding, Rice said, so the program comes at no cost to the city

For some young people, the adult diversion program could mean the difference between going to college or not being able to afford it. Under the federal Higher Education Act, a conviction for a misdemeanor marijuana offense bars a person from receiving financial aid for his or her college education. Rice said preventing that from happening to young people in the Upper Valley was part of the impetus for the adult diversion program.

Founded in 1982 and formerly known as Windsor County Court Diversion, Valley Court Diversion Programs began administering Lebanon's juvenile court diversion program last summer, and now provides alternatives to the court process in several Upper Valley communities.