Real safety begins with real solutions
Diversion & Restoration Programs
Real safety begins with real solutions
Diversion & Restoration Programs
Why Diversion Matters
Dallas County is full of people who want the same things: safety, stability, and the chance for growth — not a system that permanently punishes people for moments of crisis or struggle.
For too long, our justice system has relied on one response: punishment. And our communities have paid the price — young people pulled deeper into the system, people with mental health or substance-use needs criminalized instead of supported, and low-level offenses turning into lifelong barriers.
Our community knows better. We deserve a justice system that does better.
Diversion isn’t about excusing harm — it’s about preventing it by addressing root causes, not repeating the same failures.
What Diversion Looks Like Under Amber Givens
Amber’s Diversion & Restoration strategy creates structured, accountable pathways that reduce harm and increase safety.
Diversion programs under her leadership will be:
- Evidence-Based — built on models proven to reduce reoffending
- Trauma-Informed — recognizing the impact trauma has on conduct
- Accountability-Focused — clear expectations and progress checks
- Community-Centered — shaped with experts, providers, and Community Justice Councils
Key Diversion Pathways
- Youth Diversion: Keep young people from being defined by early mistakes through mentorship, conflict resolution, school support, and family engagement
- Mental Health Response: Redirect individuals into treatment and stabilization instead of jail
- Substance Use Intervention: Address addiction as a health issue to reduce repeat offenses
- First-Time & Low-Level Offenses: Use structured service plans, education modules, and restorative practices to resolve harm without unnecessary criminalization
How Diversion Strengthens Safety
True public safety isn’t about how many people we lock up — it’s about how many people we keep from coming back.
Diversion reduces repeat offenses, protects resources for serious cases, strengthens families, and helps people build stable futures.
Smart justice is safer justice.
A Justice System Rooted in Redemption
Amber Givens’ life and career have shown her that accountability and compassion are not opposites — they are partners.
Diversion is not softness. It is strategy. Discipline. Prevention.
It is how communities heal instead of being harmed again.
This is justice grounded in facts, humanity, and hope.
This is justice shaped by the belief that people can grow.
This is the justice Dallas County deserves.